FIC: Aftermaths, Part 34

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 34
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: ~7,260
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: Lord Severin's funeral takes place.

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, Part 30, Part 31, Part 32, Part 33

***

Lupin thought his lover and sons looked very handsome, if somewhat forbidding, in their black dress robes, but to his surprise, they were all outshone by Lady Selima, even Dylan. She was dressed head-to-toe in black, from her black lace veil, to her long gown, to her shoes and gloves. Even her jewelry was black: a necklace, earrings, and bracelets of black pearls, and a magnificent black opal ring the size of a pigeon's egg. Only the fiery iridescence of the opal broke up the pattern of unrelieved black, and it all combined to create quite a striking image. When he had first met her, Lupin had noticed that she was a beautiful woman even though she was old enough to have an adult son, but now she looked absolutely stunning. The veil hid the gray in her hair and the lines on her face, giving Lupin an idea of what she must have looked like as a young girl, and he had no doubt that she had been telling the truth about how she had been much admired for her beauty by the young men at Hogwarts.

"You look beautiful, Lady Selima!" he blurted out.

"You needn't sound so surprised, Professor Lupin," Selima replied in a cool voice, but Lupin thought he detected a hint of smile beneath the veil.

"It's a Gryffindor trait," Snape told his mother, looking a little amused. "They tend to speak without thinking."

"I am sure that the Professor was just dazzled by your beauty, Lady Selima," Dylan said smoothly.

This time Selima really did smile. "And that is how a Slytherin gives compliments, Professor."

"I bow to the master," Lupin said, literally bowing in Dylan's direction, and the boys laughed.

"However," Selima continued, "all the flattery in the world will not spare you from my wrath if any of you do anything to ruin this funeral. The guests will be arriving soon, so take your places and try to behave with a little more decorum, please." The pointed look she gave Lupin seemed to indicate that this remark was being aimed mainly at him, and it was so similar to the one that Severus often gave him, that he was hard-put to keep from bursting into laughter. However, with a great deal of effort, he managed to put a properly grave look on his face before the funeral started.

The guests began arriving at the appointed time, some Apparating over, some coming by broomstick, and the Hogwarts staff and students arriving in the Thestral-drawn carriages. Selima, Snape, and Theodore sat in the front row of chairs facing the dais, which was now draped with blood-red velvet, on top which rested Lord Severin's body. Lupin and Dylan were allowed to sit in the row directly behind the Snapes, which Lupin gathered was supposed to be a position of honor and a magnanimous gesture to her son's werewolf lover on Selima's part.

The guests seemed to sort themselves out in some sort of unspoken but mutually understood order of rank. The Minister of Magic awkwardly muttered, "So sorry for your loss, Lady Selima, Professor Snape, Theodore," lightly clasping their hands in turn in the customary manner. Snape was forced to endure a kiss on the cheek along with Molly Weasley's condolences, grinding his teeth silently, as his mother would kill him if he made a scene by objecting. Theodore's eyes nearly popped out of his head when Molly also gave him a motherly kiss, but well-trained pureblood heir that he was, otherwise managed to keep his composure and mutter a polite "thank you." The Weasley children offered their condolences even more awkwardly than their father, except for Percy, who behaved with his usual rigid formality, and Ginny, who tendered her sympathies solemnly but with all apparent sincerity. Ron clasped Snape's hand as gingerly and reluctantly as if it were a cobra, and Snape looked just as reluctant, though disdainful rather than fearful, and each let go as soon as possible with obvious relief.

After they finished paying their respects, the Weasleys took seats near Lupin and Dylan, then the Headmaster stepped forward and clasped Selima's hand between both of his and said sincerely, "I am so sorry, Selima."

Lupin was a little surprised that he called her by name, not using her title, and even more surprised that Selima did not seem offended, but come to think of it, Dumbledore had once been one of her teachers at Hogwarts. "Thank you, Headmaster," Selima said in her usual tone of cool politeness. "And I thank you also for the loan of your house-elves."

Dumbledore smiled and patted her hand as if she were indeed still one of his students. "Think nothing of it, my dear; I was glad to help." He moved on to place a hand on Snape's shoulder. "How are you holding up, my boy?"

"I am fine, thank you, Headmaster," Snape said stiffly. Dumbledore clasped Theodore's hand and said, "I'm sorry you never really got to know your grandfather, Theodore."

Lupin lifted his hand to his face to hide his smile; trust Dumbledore to offer more than the usual empty platitudes! Theodore stared at the Headmaster for a moment, startled by the unexpected comment, but managed to recover promptly and say, "Ah...yes, so am I," politely if not very truthfully.

Dumbledore took the seat next to Lupin and whispered, "How is he doing, really?"

"Surprisingly well," Lupin whispered back.

The Donners offered their sympathies, and then Branwen, Sirius, Harry, Hermione, and Tonks paused before the dais, then came over to greet the Snapes. Lupin saw Selima frown slightly, and he could guess why: Sirius's half-blood cousin had not been on the list of officially invited guests, although technically she was a part of the Black family. Despite her little act of rebellion, Tonks had changed her spiky violet hair to black, and combed it down smoothly and neatly.

"My deepest sympathies, Lady Selima," Branwen said.

"Thank you, Lady Branwen."

Her favorite student got a little more than the usual polite offer of sympathy; Branwen bent down to hug Severus and kiss him on the cheek, and Lupin had to hide another smile as his lover's face turned bright red. "I'm so sorry, Severus."

"Er...thank you, Branwen," Snape mumbled, still blushing. Theodore, much to his relief, got only a hand clasp and a polite, "My condolences for your loss."

Sirius looked extremely uncomfortable, and tugged nervously at the high collar of his dress robes. "Sorry for your loss, Mrs. Snape," he said awkwardly, and both Selima and Branwen frowned at this social faux pas, although Sirius didn't seem to notice. In his defense, Sirius had not really been a part of pureblood society since leaving home at age sixteen, and had never bothered much with the niceties of pureblood manners.

"I'm really sorry about your father, Snape," Sirius said, still looking ill at ease, but his words were sincere, and he clasped Snape's hand firmly.

"Thank you, Black," Snape said, without his usual sarcasm, then glared at his former Professor when he caught her smiling at him.

"My deepest condolences for your loss, Lady Selima," Harry said, just as Hermione and Draco had coached him.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter," Selima said politely, and Harry looked relieved for a moment--until he came face-to-face with Snape.

"Um...I'm sorry for your loss, Professor," Harry said with less composure, taking Snape's extended hand just as gingerly as Ron had.

"Thank you, Potter," Snape said, a bit sourly, and Harry gratefully moved on.

Selima accepted Hermione's sympathies coolly but politely, and Snape flushed a little at her earnest, "I'm so sorry, Professor!" Meanwhile, Theodore endured all the polite condolences for a grandfather that he barely knew, fighting to keep his expression polite and properly solemn although his eyes were beginning to look a little glazed.

Selima's "thank you" changed from cool to positively icy when Tonks greeted her. As the young Auror clasped Snape's hand, she bent down and whispered into his ear, "Sorry to show up uninvited, Severus, but I just wanted to tell you in person how sorry I am about your father."

Snape looked surprised, and for a split-second, almost touched. "Thank you, Tonks," he said, and actually sounded sincere. Then he set his face in a look of feigned bewilderment. "I know we sent out an invitation; it must have gotten lost in the mail." Tonks smiled and winked at him, and Selima shot him a quick glare. Theodore smiled a little, looking pleased to have the tedium of the day interrupted for a moment.

Selima's family, the Bashirs, were next, and Lupin was a little disturbed to see that the condolences they offered her sounded as cool and impersonal as if they were complete strangers instead of family, although neither Selima nor Severus seemed surprised or upset by this. They were all beautiful and handsome, with the same coloring as Selima, golden skin and dark hair and eyes, and they were just as cold and imperious as she was, and Lupin suddenly understood where she had gotten it from. Even when Selima's mother bent down to kiss her cheek, it seemed more perfunctory than affectionate, as if she was only doing what was expected in polite society, her lips barely touching her daughter's face. They all looked at Severus and Theodore disapprovingly, even as they were uttering polite words of sympathy, and Lupin's inner wolf growled silently. Only one Bashir seemed any different, a plump man with a good-natured face, and a number of gaudy rings on his hands that clashed with his severe black robes. Selima greeted him as "Ali," and she frowned disapprovingly when he patted Severus on the shoulder and said, "The prodigal son returns home, eh? At least you were able to make up with your father before he died."

"Yes, Uncle Ali," Severus said sourly, and Lupin remembered where he'd heard that name before; he was the cousin of Selima's who had given the Snapes the flying carpet in the library. Lupin didn't really know anything else about him, but Ali greeted Theodore with a smile and a firm handshake, which was a point in his favor as far as Lupin and the wolf were concerned. Dylan obviously recalled that conversation in the library, too, because his eyes suddenly lit up with interest; Lupin smiled a little, remembering how impressed the boys had been by the flying carpet.

Lupin repressed a yawn as the long line of mourners continued to slowly file past the Snapes; it seemed to take hours, and it no doubt seemed even longer to Severus, whose polite responses were sounding increasingly forced. Lady Selima seemed in her element, but Severus, like Sirius, was never one to bother with the niceties, and being forced to be polite and behave like a proper pureblood heir must be torture for him. Then again, if he could feign subservience to the Dark Lord for all those years, spending one day being polite to people he didn't like very much probably wouldn't kill him.

Finally all the mourners had expressed their sympathies and taken their seats, but the boredom was not yet over. Former colleagues of Severin's got up to give speeches about how deeply he would be missed, but most of them seemed to be straining to come up with positive things to say about him. Most of these comments seemed to run along the lines of "he was a man of deep and unswerving principles," which Lupin interpreted as being a nice way of saying that he was stubborn as a mule; it seemed to be a Snape family trait.

Selima had managed to persuade Arthur Weasley to speak; he had known Severin, but only just barely, having been a junior assistant at the Ministry around the time that Severin had retired. Most of his speech essentially repeated what the previous speakers had already said, but what he said didn't matter so much as the fact that it was the Minster of Magic who was saying it. It was quite a feather in Lady Selima's cap to have the Minister speaking at the funeral, and all her peers looked suitably impressed. "Lord Severin was a respected member of the community, who worked hard to serve the wizarding world during his tenure at the Ministry of Magic, and he will be deeply missed. Still, being reunited with his son must have comforted him in his last days, and I am sure that he will rest easy knowing that the Snape family is in good hands."

Everyone applauded politely (although Snape looked a little annoyed by that last sentence). Arthur was supposed to be the last speaker before the Snape family spoke, but Dumbledore leaned forward and quietly asked Selima for permission to speak. Selima regarded him with trepidation; one never knew what Dumbledore might do, but she could hardly say "no" to someone of his stature, so she reluctantly assented.

"Lord Severin was not a very pleasant man, nor one who was easy to like," Dumbledore said once he reached the podium, and Selima let out a little sigh of annoyance, while Snape's lips twitched upwards in a small, sardonic smile. "However," Dumbledore continued, "he always held fast to his own code of honor, and neither threats nor bribery could convince him to break it." An uneasy murmur rippled through the crowd, and some of them exchanged guilty looks, because many of them had supported, if not actually joined, the Death Eaters, either because of fear or hope of advancement. "I respected him for that, although we did not always see eye to eye." Dumbledore smiled, his blue eyes twinkling. "He referred to me on more than one occasion as 'that bleeding heart liberal,' and I once told him not be so stiff-necked with pride." There was nervous laughter, and Selima sighed again. "However, I am grateful that he was able to reconcile with his son before he died, both for his own sake, and for the sake of my valued colleague and friend, Professor Snape." Snape's face turned red again. "I hope Severin will rest easy, knowing that the Snape line will continue through his son and grandson." Dumbledore bowed his head in acknowledgment of the halfhearted applause, and returned to his seat.

"I'm going to kill that old man," Snape muttered under his breath.

"Shh!" Selima hissed, although she looked as though she would have liked to do the same. She rose to her feet, and beckoned Snape and Theodore to follow her to the podium. "Severin was in great pain in the last few months of his life," she said, "but it brought him comfort when our son finally returned home to his family." She stressed the word "finally" just a little as she cast a sidelong glance at Snape, who fought the urge to glare at her. "He lived long enough to welcome his new grandson to the family, and was at peace when he left this world, knowing that the Snape name would live on, and not die with him."

She stepped aside, and Snape reluctantly moved forward to speak. "The news of my father's illness was...er...shocking and dismaying, of course, but I find that I am very grateful for it, because it led to me adopting my son and heir, Theodore." Selima flashed him another pointed look his way, and he added, "And reunited me with my family." The look of suppressed resentment in his eyes vanished when Theodore said earnestly, "I swear that I will be a worthy son and heir to you, Father, and uphold the honor of the Snape family."

Selima gave him a small, cool smile of approval, then startled Lupin by walking to the dais and removing a ring from her husband's hand; no one had explained this part of the ceremony to him, but Severus and most of the crowd seemed to expect it. "Step forward, Severus," Selima said, in what seemed to be a ritual phrase, "and receive the symbol of Lordship of the Snape House." Severus stepped forward, extending his right hand, and Selima slipped the Snape signet ring onto his finger. She bowed her head and said, "Lord Snape."

Snape inclined his head as well, saying, "I will uphold the honor of the Snape family."

"We bid farewell to the old Lord," Selima said, and lifted her veil for a moment to press her lips to her husband's forehead, then bowed before the dais, and returned to her seat. Her face still seemed cool and expressionless, although it was difficult to tell, being hidden beneath a layer of black lace. Snape merely bowed deeply before the dais, not touching his father's body, and Theodore followed his lead.

When they were all seated, the undertaker stepped forward, raised his wand, and began chanting an incantation. Lupin's eyes widened with surprise as he recognized the words of the incantation, but even guessing what was coming, he still cried out when a bolt of lightning appeared out of nowhere and struck Severin's body, instantly turning it into a pile of ash. Fortunately, he wasn't the only one; he also heard Tonks, Hermione, Harry, Ron, and several of the of the other students let out startled little shrieks and yelps, and there was a collective gasp from the assembled crowd, even though most of the guests seemed to have been expecting this.

Vorcher appeared out of nowhere, carrying an ornately carved silver casket; Lupin had not seen him at the funeral, and had assumed that he was working in the kitchen or ballroom. Selima calmly got up, and the undertaker helped her fold up the red velvet cloth on the dais, neatly gathering up Lord Severin's ashes in it, and she placed it in the casket. Then she took the casket from Vorcher, and carried it across the estate grounds to the family crypt. Her son and grandson followed, and the guests trailed behind them.

The entrance to the underground crypt was a small, bleak-looking building of gray stone, its double doors carved with mirror images of the Snape family crest of a serpent. The Snapes entered the crypt; only family were allowed inside, so all the guests remained outside, waiting.

"Were you expecting that?" Lupin whispered to Dumbledore.

"Expecting what, Remus?"

"You know...big lightning bolt coming out of the sky, vaporizing Lord Severin's body..."

"Oh, that," Dumbledore said casually, his eyes twinkling a little. "It's a Snape family tradition. Didn't Severus explain it to you?"

"No," Lupin said darkly, thinking that he was going to have a little talk with Severus later. Maybe this was payback for spying on Severus kissing the boys goodnight, or for speculating about Lady Selima's old flames, or...well, Lupin had to admit that there were a great many things that a certain snarky Slytherin might want to inflict a little harmless revenge for.

"But Lady Selima explained everything to us yesterday," Dylan said. "Oh, that's right...I think you were down in the kitchen fixing tea. But I assumed the Professor would tell you about it later."

"Well, he said that all the Snape Lords are cremated and laid to rest in the family crypt, but I didn't realize it would happen in quite that fashion! I assumed that...I don't know, that the undertaker would do it at the funeral parlor or something..."

Dylan smiled. "I was wondering why you seemed so shocked, although it was very...um...impressive. Even knowing what was going to happen, I still jumped a little."

Sirius came up behind them, chuckling softly. "You know the purebloods, Moony; they like to make a grand spectacle of things."

"Why are the Snape Lords always cremated?" Hermione asked curiously.

Branwen replied, "It's an interesting story. Sebastian Snape, who lived in the time of the Founders, once made a mortal enemy of a Necromancer. Eventually he defeated and killed this Necromancer, but he worried that the Necromancer might have family or colleagues that would come after the Snapes to take revenge. Lord Sebastian was apparently a little paranoid, although not without good reason; he did have many enemies. Because Necromancers need bone or blood or flesh to work with, Sebastian decreed that he and all his descendants would be cremated when they died, to prevent a Necromancer or other Dark Wizard from getting hold of their remains and using them for nefarious purposes."

Hermione looked fascinated. "But doesn't the cremation process leave behind bone fragments?" she asked.

"Hermione!" Ron protested, looking a little queasy.

Branwen smiled. "Perhaps the Muggle cremation process does, but the spell you just saw leaves behind nothing but a pile of very fine ash, nothing a Necromancer could do anything with."

"Impressive," Hermione murmured.

"Can we please talk about something else?" Ron pleaded.

"You've never mentioned anything about Necromancy in Defense class," Hermione said to Lupin, ignoring Ron.

"It's a very rare form of magic," Lupin said. "Not many people have the talent for it, thankfully, since it's a very evil and powerful type of sorcery."

"That's the type of magic Voldemort must have used!" Harry suddenly blurted out, his green eyes going wide and round with realization. "He used a bone from his father, and Wormtail's flesh, and my blood to create his new body!"

The people nearby them were beginning to stare at them with fear and disapproval in their eyes. Lowering his voice, Lupin whispered, "A combination of Necromancy and Blood Magic, yes, I believe so, Harry. Quite astute of you to realize that. But this isn't really the time and place to discuss it."

"Oh, sorry," Harry apologized.

Lupin smiled at him. "We can discuss it further at school if you like, and perhaps I can work something into my lessons about defending against Blood Magic. Dealing with Necromancy, even in defense, is somewhat advanced beyond your level, though--"

The Snapes emerged from the crypt, and Lupin fell silent. "Thank you all for coming," Selima said to the crowd. "I am sure Severin would appreciate seeing so many of his friends and colleagues come to pay their respects. Please follow me back to the house for some refreshment."

The ballroom was tastefully decorated with the flower arrangements delivered earlier by the Greengrasses, and the Hogwarts elves were standing behind long tables laid out with food and drink, ready to serve the guests. Although there were some tables and chairs available so that the guests could sit down and eat, most of them walked around the room, mingling with the other guests and paying their respects to their hosts, so most of the food being served were finger foods that could easily be eaten with one hand: dainty little pastries, sandwiches cut into small triangles, canapes and hors d'oeuvres, etc. Lupin went looking for Severus, and found him making polite small talk with a couple of Ministry officials. Lupin was starving--breakfast had been hours ago--so he took the opportunity to get some food and a glass of wine. He was just munching on a pastry puff filled with something cheesy (whatever else he might be, Vorcher was certainly a good cook), when Severus managed to excuse himself and join Lupin.

He plucked the glass of wine from Lupin's hand and drained it in one long gulp. "God, I needed that!" he sighed. "Do you know how excruciating it was to sit there saying 'thank you' all morning, with my mother staring daggers at me to keep me from stepping out of line and saying something other than the usual polite and inane response? Not to mention sitting through all those hypocritical speeches...I need another glass of wine." He beckoned to a house-elf who was circulating through the room carrying a tray of drinks.

"At least there was one honest speaker," Lupin said, smiling as Dumbledore approached them.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Well, I thought that Severin should have at least one tribute that honored him for what he really was. I didn't like your father, Severus--"

"Join the club," Snape muttered, sipping his wine.

"--but I did respect him. He could have saved his career by currying favor with the Malfoys, but he didn't. Of course his best trait was also his worst flaw, as he was so damn stubborn that he could never admit when he was wrong--as he was about you, Severus."

Snape shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "It doesn't matter. I would have left my family, anyway, and it gave me a good excuse not to return home."

"But you did come home, Severus," Dumbledore said gently. "And I hope you will glad of it, someday."

"I only did it for Theodore's sake," Snape mumbled, taking another sip of wine from his glass, which was now half-empty.

"Here," Lupin said, holding out his plate. "If you're going to keep drinking at that rate, you'd better have some food to balance it out. Lady Selima will be very upset if you start dancing on the tables."

"Even drunk, I assure you that I would never dance on the tables," Snape told him haughtily, but ate a small sandwich nevertheless.

"And by the way," Lupin added sarcastically, "thanks for warning me about the cremation spell."

"What?" Snape said, feigning a look of innocent surprise. "Oh, that! I guess it would be a little startling if you hadn't been expecting it."

"A little? I nearly had a heart attack!" Lupin told him.

"Sorry," Snape said with a grin. "We were so busy getting ready for the funeral that it must have slipped my mind. You know how my mother had us all rushing around..."

"I'm sure it was just an oversight on your part," Lupin said dryly.

Selima joined them, saying, "Thank you again for coming, Headmaster. And I must thank you once again for the loan of your house-elves; they've been a great help."

"Severus is one of my best teachers, as well as a good friend," Dumbledore assured her with a smile. "I was only too happy to help."

"It speaks well of you, Severus," Selima said, "that so many of your students and colleagues have come to pay their respects." She looked across the room, at Theodore and Dylan talking with Draco, Pansy, Millicent, and Malcolm. Nearby, some of the younger Slytherins--Miriam, Patrick, and Slaine--were feeding treats to Bane as they chatted with Sirius and Branwen. McGonagall and Sprout were filling up their plates at the buffet table, Flitwick was talking with Math and Goewin, Madam Pomfrey was having a conversation with a Healer from St. Mungo's, and Professor Trelawney seemed to be predicting doom for a fascinated and horrified Elaine Baddock. Selima frowned slightly as her gaze fell upon Hagrid, who was dressed in his best robes, which bore an unfortunate resemblance to a bearskin rug. He was balancing a plate piled precariously high with food in one hand; it looked ridiculously tiny, like a toy for a dollhouse, in his huge palm.

"Are all the Hogwarts teachers here?" Selima asked casually, but something in her voice made Snape frown suspiciously.

"Most of them," Dumbledore replied. "Professor Binns never leaves the school, of course, and we couldn't leave the students unattended, so Mr. Filch, Madam Hooch, and Master Bleddri kindly agreed to remain behind to watch over them. But I believe that all the other teachers are here."

"I see," Selima said, and dropped the subject. Scanning the room, she said, "Most of Severin's former colleagues from the Ministry are here, but I see that the Diggorys did not come. Amos didn't know Severin very well, but it still would have been polite for him to at least show his face."

"That may be my fault," Lupin said apologetically. "It seems he disapproves of werewolves."

Selima sniffed disdainfully. "Well, of course, but so do most of the people here, and that didn't stop them from doing their duty. They did send a flower arrangement, but I suspect that was his wife's doing; I remember her as a sweet girl, much too good for that pompous blowhard."

"Well, he's not really that bad," Lupin said. "He seemed to be a loving father to Cedric."

Selima sniffed again. "It's a shame that Cynric died; he would have made a much better head of the Diggory family than Amos." She saw Priscilla Parkinson waving to her, and sighed. "Excuse me, please, I must see to my other guests."

"Of course," Dumbledore said, and Selima walked off.

Snape stared morosely into his now-empty wineglass. "Only about two more hours of torture left," he sighed.

"Maybe you should slow down a little, then," Lupin suggested as Snape beckoned to the house-elf again and exchanged the empty glass for a full one.

Snape started to reply, then looked across the room and saw Hermione frowning disapprovingly at the house-elf servants. "I'd better go make sure that Miss Granger doesn't cause a scene by trying to persuade the house-elves to throw off the chains of oppression. I'd never hear the end of it from Mother."

"I'm sure she wouldn't make a scene on an occasion like this, Severus," Lupin said.

"Better to be safe than sorry," Snape replied.

But when he approached her and gave her a stern warning, she said, "Of course I wouldn't do that, Professor," looking a little hurt. "It would be disrespectful to you and your father. But I do intend to keep fighting for house-elf rights."

"Weren't all the non-humans given equal rights after the war?" Harry asked.

"The equal rights bill covers only those creatures, such as the werewolves and centaurs, who provided support in the war against Voldemort," Morrigan De Lacy said.

She nodded politely at Snape, who said, "Thank you for coming, Morrigan."

"Will you introduce me to--I assume these are your students, Severus?"

"This is Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, and Mr. and Miss Weasley."

"You might need to be a bit more specific, Severus," Morrigan said with a mischievous grin, as she glanced over at the buffet table where the the twins, Bill, and Charlie were refilling their plates. "There seem to be a great many Mr. Weasleys about."

Ginny giggled and said, "I'm Ginny, and this is Ron. We're the two youngest Weasleys."

"This is Morrigan De Lacy," Snape said. "She is the niece of the previous Head of Slytherin, a former student, and the lawyer who assisted me with Theodore's adoption."

"Dylan told me about you!" Hermione said enthusiastically. "You helped him get his estate back!"

"Are you interested in a career as a lawyer, Miss Granger?" Morrigan asked, looking amused.

"I don't know," Hermione said with a frown. "I haven't decided yet. Dylan thinks I should go into Potions, and I do find that subject fascinating, but maybe as a lawyer I could do more to fight for house-elf rights...do you have any advice?"

"Well, my specialty is litigation rather than civil rights," Morrigan said, still smiling. "But it seems to me that there is little money to be made in fighting for house-elf rights." As Hermione opened her mouth to protest, Morrigan continued, "Your zeal is commendable, Miss Granger, and I have no doubt that you would be willing to work pro bono for the elves, but how will you support yourself while you do so?"

"I hadn't thought of that," Hermione said sheepishly.

"You would either need to take up a second career, say as a potion-brewer, or take on additional paid cases as a lawyer. And you know, you will need powerful backing to pass a bill granting house-elves independence. You would do well to start slowly, building up a list of influential clients who might be able to do you favors in the future..."

Snape and Lupin drifted away unnoticed as Hermione and Morrigan carried on an animated discussion. "Morrigan doesn't strike me as being the type to be interested in house-elf rights," Lupin said.

"She doesn't give a damn about house-elf rights," Snape said with an amused smile, "but she might be interested in gaining a new assistant and protege."

"Ah, I see," Lupin said. He was about to ask if Severus would be disappointed to lose a possible future Potions Mistress, but was interrupted by a couple of high-ranking Ministry officials.

"Severus! It's such a shame about your father..."

Snape sighed and took a gulp of wine to brace himself for more polite, meaningless small talk and reminiscences.

Lupin discreetly edged away and circulated around the room, pausing now and then to greet some of his students and colleagues. "Remus!" Arthur said with a look of relief, excusing himself and moving away from the wizard he was talking to.

"But you'll take it under advisement, Arthur?" the wizard called out hopefully.

"I'll keep it in mind, Basil," Arthur said, then sighed as he joined Lupin. "Thank goodness you came along! I need a break from people asking me for raises or promotions or bigger budgets for their departments--and those are only the people who work at the Ministry! The others want me to speak at some luncheon, or push a certain bill, or waive a certain fee or regulation--"

"Here," Lupin said, snagging a glass of wine from a passing house-elf. "Have something to drink."

Arthur drained half of it in one gulp, and Lupin thought to himself that at this rate, the room would soon be filled with drunken wizards, and wondered if he ought to instruct the house-elves to water the wine.

"So how is Severus holding up?" Arthur asked, looking a little more calm.

"He's doing all right," Lupin said. "He's a little stressed out, but he's not really comfortable at these sorts of functions. He can't even stand attending the Yule Ball at Hogwarts, let alone a pureblood gathering, but Lady Selima put her foot down, and quite frankly, she's very difficult to say 'no' to."

"Indeed," Arthur said with a wry smile. "I don't know her well, but she has a reputation as a very formidable woman."

"Arthur!" cried a hearty voice, and Arthur and Lupin turned to see Ali Bashir approaching them.

"Ali," Arthur said without much enthusiasm. "How nice to see you again. Do you know Professor Lupin?"

"No, but I've read a great deal about him in the Daily Prophet," Ali said, and to Lupin's surprise, the other wizard grinned and winked at him. He held out his hand and Lupin shook it. "It's nice to finally meet you. My, you've certainly stirred up a hornet's nest!" Ali chuckled. "Who would have thought young Severus would turn out to be such a rebel? He was so well-behaved as a little boy, always did exactly as his parents told him."

"And you're not offended?" Lupin asked cautiously. "By Severus and I disgracing the Snape name, I mean?"

"Pish-posh," Ali said airily, flapping his hand in a dismissive gesture. "For one thing, I'm not a Snape, and for another, the purebloods are much too staid and hidebound for their own good. They need to loosen up a bit." He grinned at Lupin and added, "It's good to shake things up a little every now and then." Arthur was trying to discreetly back away, but Ali turned to him and asked, "Don't you agree, Arthur?"

"Uh, well, I suppose so, Ali..."

Ali slipped his arm around Arthur's shoulders. "Such as that silly regulation forbidding the sale of flying carpets..."

"Ali, I told you before that I can't do anything about--"

"Ah, but that was before you became Minister of Magic," Ali purred persuasively. "Such things are now within your power to change."

"Ali, really!" Arthur protested. "It's hardly proper to conduct business at a funeral!"

"But how often do I get a chance to speak with the Minister of Magic himself?" Ali asked with a charming smile. "How could I let such an opportunity pass?"

"Ali, please, I can't discuss this now. If you'll make an appointment--"

"Excuse me," Dylan said, his eyes bright and eager. "I don't mean to interrupt, but are you Ali Bashir?"

"Indeed I am," Ali replied. "And you must be young Mr. Rosier, Severus's protege."

"The Professor said that you deal in flying carpets...?"

Ali smiled at Dylan, and at Theodore and the other children with them who looked equally eager and excited. "You see?" Ali told Arthur triumphantly. "Look at all these young people, interested in carrying on an ancient tradition of wizardly transportation!"

"I think it would be so exciting to ride a flying carpet!" Pansy exclaimed.

Arthur sighed, a pained look on his face, as he listened to Ali's sales pitch. Lupin chuckled, then happened to glance across the room, and spotted Narcissa standing alone, looking very unhappy. He made his way towards her, and noticed a cluster of pureblood women standing nearby, gossiping loudly.

One of them took a glass of wine from a house-elf and said sweetly, "Why, thank you, Dobby."

Dobby beamed up at her. "You're welcome, Mistress!" Then he happily walked off, delighted to be treated with respect by a human witch--or so he thought.

The pureblood women laughed. "Is that the Malfoys' house-elf?" a second woman asked, loud enough for Narcissa to hear. "He's certainly gotten above himself, hasn't he?"

"I can't believe Selima actually invited the Malfoys to the funeral!" a third woman said in a stage whisper, as Narcissa's face turned red. "I mean, Narcissa killed her own husband!"

"But he was a Death Eater," the first woman said in a bright, merry voice. "The Aurors would have killed him anyway!"

The women all laughed, and Lupin headed towards them, his face set in a rarely-seen expression of anger. He didn't know exactly what he was going to do or say, but it would probably have been something that would have ruined Selima's party and made her furious with him--except that he never got the chance.

Selima joined the crowd of women, greeting them with a smile, then beckoned to the object of their ridicule. "Narcissa dear, come here for a moment." Still flushing, but with her head held high, Narcissa approached. "So tell me," Selima said casually, "is it true that you stabbed Lucius in the back?"

Her companions gasped in shock; Selima was never so blunt, but they eagerly awaited Narcissa's response.

"Yes," Narcissa replied stiffly, still holding her head high. "I did. And I'm not sorry for it; he would have killed our son."

To everyone's shock, including Narcissa's and Lupin's, Selima patted Narcissa on the cheek fondly and said, "Good for you, dear. No one deserved it more." As Narcissa stared at her dumbfounded, Selima took her arm and said, "Come dear, it's been so long since I've last seen you; we have some catching up to do. And there are some people I'd like you to meet." Narcissa allowed Selima to lead her away, too stunned to resist, and Selima's friends just stood there with their mouths hanging open.

Selima's free hand held a half-empty glass of wine, and a bemused Lupin wondered if Severus wasn't the only Snape who might have had too much to drink. He continued to watch as Selima and Narcissa stopped to chat with Ministry officials and other members of high society, and smiled a little. Selima was gifting Narcissa with her approval, and by extension, a measure of the respectability that the Malfoys had lost when Lucius had been exposed as a Death Eater. Lupin wasn't sure why she was doing it--perhaps it was simply because she had hated Lucius, whom she blamed for the death of her friend, Vanessa Malfoy, Lucius's mother--but whatever the reason, Lupin was grateful for it.

"Sometimes you surprise me, Lady Selima," Lupin murmured to himself.

Selima left Narcissa safely in the care of Sirius, Branwen, and Arthur. He greeted Narcissa warmly, which was probably due more to relief at escaping from Ali Bashir than anything to do with Narcissa herself, but Lupin saw that the Minister of Magic speaking in a friendly manner to Narcissa was making an impression on the pureblood crowd.

Meanwhile, Ali was still holding court over the spellbound crowd of students, which had been joined by Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and a couple of other Aurors.

"Hmm," Kingsley said thoughtfully. "A large carpet could transport a prisoner more easily than a broomstick. You can't really carry a prisoner astride with you on a broom."

"Exactly!" Ali said.

"But a prison carriage is much more secure," another Auror objected.

"Of course," Ali said smoothly, "but in an emergency, where no carriage is available..."

Lupin smiled and moved on. He saw that Selima was now talking to the Parkinsons--Pansy's mother, father, and grandmother. They spoke for awhile, but Selima's pleasant smile began to grow a little strained, and soon she excused herself and left the room, picking up a fresh glass of wine on the way. Lupin frowned as he watched the Parkinsons whisper to each other, a hint of malicious curiosity and gloating hidden beneath their expressions of false concern. Lupin looked around for Severus, but he had been cornered by Millicent's parents, and was deep in conversation with them. Lupin hesitated, then slipped out of the room and went looking for Selima.

***

Selima had been dealing with pureblood politics all her life, but in the middle of talking to the Parkinsons, suddenly she could not stand the false sympathy, meaningless small talk, and sly insinuations about Severus and the werewolf any longer. She pleaded a headache, and said that she was going to get some fresh air for a moment.

"Of course, dear," Priscilla cooed sweetly, laying a hand on her arm. "You poor thing, you've been under such stress lately--all this business with Severus, and then Severin dying..."

Selima resisted the urge to slap Priscilla's hand away, and said, smiling sweetly back at her, "I'm fine, just a little tired. Please excuse me."

Selima left the room, leaving behind her empty glass and grabbing a full one on the way out. She probably shouldn't leave; who knew what trouble Severus and the werewolf might get into while she was not there to watch them? Well, to be honest, it was much more likely that Severus would be the one to get in trouble, probably by losing his temper and saying something truthful but tactless to someone important, as Lupin was much better at controlling his temper than her son was, but right at this moment, Selima didn't give a damn. Let them fend for themselves, and she would sort things out later if need be.

She went to the study, the nearest room where she could be alone and was not likely to be disturbed. She collapsed into the chair behind the desk, breathing a sigh of relief at the blessed silence, and took a sip of wine. Then her eyes fell upon the vase of snowdrops sitting on the desk. She had forgotten that she'd told Lupin to put them here; she had simply wanted them out of the way and out of her sight at the time. She slowly reached out and touched one of the white blossoms, thinking of her son, and how he had chosen love over duty, and how she had made the opposite choice forty years ago...

Part 35