FIC: Aftermaths, Part 37

[geri_chan]

Title: Aftermaths, Part 37
Rating: NC-17 overall, but most chapters are closer to PG-13
Pairing: Snape/Lupin, Theodore/Blaise, and a few other minor pairings
Word count: ~9,060
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: Isabelle and Stewart plot against the Slytherins, leading to danger at the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match.

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, Part 34, Part 35, Part 36

***

After they finished their drinks, they all headed to Honeydukes, where they ran into Dylan and Hermione. "That's awful," Hermione said when she heard what had happened.

"It is, but it's to be expected," Dylan said. "People have been giving me a hard time about being a Death Eater's son all my life."

Lisa Turpin happened to be in the shop at the time, and joined in the conversation, looking troubled. "What Stewart did is wrong, but...he's been through a lot lately. His father died during the final battle, and...well..."

"He hates the Death Eaters," Dylan finished quietly. "I guess I can't really blame him. I hated the Aurors for a long time, for killing my father."

"I don't blame Stewart for hating the Death Eaters, but I won't let anyone treat my mother badly!" Serafina said in a fiercely protective voice, her violet eyes shining with rare intensity. "And she never wanted to be a Death Eater, anyway; my father forced her to join."

Jack Sloper and Andrew Kirke walked into the store, and spotted the Slytherins. Jack scowled, and Andrew picked up a bag of sugar skulls and tossed it at Dylan, saying, "Here, Rosier--perfect treats for a Death Eater!"

As Draco and the other Slytherins glared at Andrew, Dylan neatly reached up and plucked the bag of candy out of the air. Damien walked in right at that moment, accompanied by Parvati, Lavender, and Seamus. Not having heard Andrew's earlier remark, he said cheerfully, "Hey, nice catch, Dylan! Hope you do as well at our Quidditch match!"

Dylan smiled pleasantly at Andrew. "Thanks, I think I will get some of these. They're kind of cute, don't you think, Hermione? I promised to bring some treats back for Gabrielle and Allegra."

"They're great for Halloween," Hermione agreed with a bright smile. "How about getting some of those licorice bats, too?"

They sauntered off, picking out candies and blithely ignoring Jack and Andrew, who were turning red and fuming.

"Hey, Sloper," Draco said, smirking, "why don't you get some of those Ice Mice for your brother? I hear he's fond of rats."

"Why, you--" Jack said, reaching for his wand. But just then, McGonagall passed by, and stopped to look in the window at a display of candy. Andrew elbowed Jack in the side, and the two of them turned and and left abruptly.

Harry was relieved that a fight had been averted, but that incident, and the one at The Three Broomsticks, left a bad taste in his mouth. He had thought that when Voldemort was defeated and the war was over, that everything would be all right, like a fairy tale that ended with "and they lived happily ever after," but now he realized how silly and naive that notion was. There was no real happy ending for those who had lost loved ones in the war, like Stewart. And even though Theodore seemed relieved that his father was dead, and was happy to be Snape's son now, Harry still remembered how he had woken up screaming in the middle of the night during the summer at Grimmauld Place.

Harry was quiet and distracted for the rest of the day. Ginny and Ron had to repeat themselves two or three times to get his attention when they asked him something, and eventually they just let him be, and the three of them wandered around Hogsmeade together, munching on their Honeydukes candies in silence. Had he been right to confront Stewart Ackerley in The Three Broomsticks? Didn't Stewart have a right to be angry at the Death Eaters, as even Dylan had admitted? How much of the Death Eaters' activities had Delia Avery participated in? Had she merely been a reluctant bystander, or had she killed people, and if so, did she deserve to be pardoned? Harry also wondered how deeply Narcissa Malfoy had been involved with the Death Eaters, and what Professor Snape had done to keep his cover with them when he was working as a spy.

Harry felt like he needed to talk to someone--not one of his friends, but an adult who might actually have some answers to his questions. Sirius wasn't here, and this wasn't the kind of thing he wanted to put in a letter, and besides, Sirius wasn't that familiar with the inner workings of the Death Eaters. Then Harry realized that the person he wanted to talk to was Lupin, who was a little more objective than Sirius, and had some familiarity with the Death Eaters through his relationship with Snape--but that presented a problem because Lupin was probably in the dungeon with Snape right now since it wasn't a school day.

After much inner debate, Harry decided to brave the Potions Master's wrath, and after the students returned to Hogwarts, he headed down to the dungeon. He timidly knocked on the door, got no response, then knocked a little louder.

"Yes?" Snape called out.

"Er...it's Harry Potter, sir. Sorry to disturb you, but is Professor Lupin in?"

"Just a minute, Harry," Lupin said cheerfully; Harry thought he heard Snape mutter an unintelligible curse under his breath. After a few minutes, Lupin opened the door, looking a little disheveled: his hair was messy, as if he'd just gotten up from bed and neglected to comb it, and his robe was hanging open, revealing that the top few buttons of his shirt had been left undone. There were several prominent bruises circling his neck, and Harry felt his face turn red. Lupin noticed his flush, and the direction of his gaze, and hastily buttoned up his shirt although he was grinning, not looking the least bit abashed. One small thing to be grateful for was that Snape was nowhere in sight; the door on the far side of the room--presumably leading to the bedroom--was closed. Snape was probably in there trying to avoid Harry--or he was getting dressed, a thought that Harry quickly tried to banish from his head with a shudder. That was definitely not a mental image that he cared to contemplate!

"Come on in, Harry," Lupin said. "I'll fix some tea for us."

"Um...are you sure it's okay?" Harry asked, cautiously stepping into the room. "Are you sure Professor Snape won't mind?"

"It's fine," Lupin said carelessly. "Have a seat."

The room was large and spacious, and Harry idly wondered if all the teachers' quarters were this large, or if the Potions Master rated special privileges. He took a seat on the couch, looking around curiously as Lupin heated up a pot of tea with his wand. The couch, armchair, and the rug beside the hearth were all Slytherin green. There was a chess set laid out on the coffee table near the couch, and there was a wooden carving of a coiled snake displayed on the mantle.

"Here you go, Harry," Lupin said, handing him a cup of tea.

"Thank you, Professor."

"So what's on your mind, Harry?" Lupin asked, and Harry explained what had happened at Hogsmeade.

"I see," Lupin said, a wrinkle creasing his forehead as he frowned, and his blue eyes were filled with concern.

"How did Stewart's father die?" Harry asked. "I know he was an Auror, and that he died in the final battle, but I don't know exactly how. Did...did Mrs. Avery...?"

"Delia had no direct involvement with Mr. Ackerley's death," Lupin replied. "He was killed when a giant hit him with an uprooted tree."

"Oh," Harry said, feeling a small sense of relief that at least Delia Avery hadn't actually killed Stewart's father. "But...she was a Death Eater."

"Yes, she was," Lupin said, still frowning. "But she renounced them, and fought on our side when Andreas threatened to kill Serafina."

Harry shuddered again, this time with genuine fear and revulsion. That brought the count of Death Eaters who had tried to kill their own children during the battle up to three: Andreas Avery, Thaddeus Nott, and Lucius Malfoy. "I guess I'm having trouble understanding how she could have joined the Death Eaters if she wasn't a bad person. I mean, Serafina said that Mr. Avery forced her to, but..."

"Sometimes good people make mistakes, Harry," Lupin said quietly, and Harry wondered if he was thinking of Snape. "In Delia's case, she was a pureblood girl who had been raised to obey her husband, and on top of that, Andreas..." Lupin hesitated. "He was a very cruel man, and I have no doubt that he would have hurt or killed Delia if she disobeyed him."

"But...that doesn't make it okay," Harry argued. "If she helped the Death Eaters to hurt or kill people...just how involved with them was she, anyway?"

The bedroom door suddenly opened, and Snape glided out, his black robes billowing around him. "That is none of your business, Mr. Potter," he said sternly.

"But it is my business, sir," Harry said quietly, trying to sound firm but not defiant. He hadn't counted on Snape intruding on his talk with Lupin; maybe he should have asked Lupin if they could speak privately in his office. "My parents died because of Voldemort and the Death Eaters."

"Then you feel that Mrs. Avery owes you an accounting of her actions?" Snape asked coldly. "Or that I do?"

"I don't think that's what he's saying, Severus," Lupin said, getting up to place a hand on Snape's arm, as if to calm him, or perhaps restrain him.

"No, sir," Harry said, shaking his head and trying to remain calm. "I guess I'm confused. I think Stewart was wrong to act that way, but on the other hand, doesn't he have a right to be angry that his father was killed?"

"I think what you are asking, Potter, is whether Mrs. Avery deserves to be forgiven for her crimes," Snape said. His voice was taut and angry, but his eyes looked troubled, and a little guilty.

"Maybe I should go," Harry mumbled. "I shouldn't have disturbed you; I can talk to Professor Lupin later."

"No," Lupin said, "stay. Besides, I think Severus is better qualified to answer your questions than I am." Harry gave Lupin a dismayed look, and Snape glared at his lover, who stroked his arm soothingly. "He has a right to know, Severus," Lupin said softly, "after everything he's been through. And I think he's trying to understand things better, not throw accusations around."

Snape slowly sat down on the opposite end of the couch, as if trying to stay as far away from Harry as possible, and Lupin sat beside him, still hanging on to Snape's arm.

"If it makes you feel any better, Potter," Snape said, his eyes still filled with that mixture of anger and guilt, "Delia Avery was only a token member of the Death Eaters; she joined at her husband's insistence, but for the most part she simply observed passively at the meetings and ceremonies. She didn't go out Muggle or Auror-hunting, if only because she is a poor combative mage. Her main crime was that she was too afraid to oppose the Death Eaters, and merely stood by and watched as they killed people--a crime committed by countless others in the wizarding world, including the former Minister of Magic."

Harry nodded thoughtfully, remembering how Cornelius Fudge had refused to believe that Voldemort had returned during the Triwizard Tournament, even with all the evidence in front of him, including Cedric's body, Harry's own testimony, and the Mark on Snape's arm.

"Your friend Mr. Ackerley--" Snape began.

"He's not my friend," Harry protested. "I barely know him."

Snape glared at the interruption. "As I was saying, if Mr. Ackerley wishes to blame someone for his father's death, he might also blame the Ministry, including most of his father's coworkers, who ignored Dumbledore's warnings and refused to believe that the Dark Lord had returned until the Death Eaters finally showed up on their doorstep." In a contemptuous voice, Snape said, "They knew. I think Fudge knew from the time of the Triwizard Tournament, even though he denied it, and the Aurors must have realized the truth when the Dementors left Azkaban, but they pretended not to because they didn't want to believe it. The Death Eaters escaped and people died so that they could preserve the illusion that everything was fine a little longer. And incidentally, Mr. Ackerley senior was one of those who participated in the cover-up."

"That may be true," Lupin murmured, "but I don't think that telling Stewart that his father was partially responsible for his own death is going to help matters any."

"I didn't say that he should tell Ackerley that," Snape said in a testy voice. "I was just explaining things to Potter as you asked me to."

"Sorry, Severus," Lupin said apologetically, gently stroking Snape's arm. Harry felt extremely uncomfortable watching Lupin touch Snape in a way that seemed very intimate, even if it wasn't exactly sexual; he felt as if he were intruding on a private moment. Then Lupin turned to Harry and said, "I won't say that Delia is blameless, but she did find the strength to fight against the Death Eaters in the end, and that is more than most people can say. Very few people gave their support to Dumbledore and the Order even after Voldemort's return was finally made public. As for whether Delia deserves forgiveness...well, that's not really up to me to say. But she cannot atone for her crimes if she's dead or locked up in a prison cell. Free, she has a chance to do some good in the world, starting by being a good parent to Serafina, who has committed no crime, and who would suffer if her mother was taken away from her."

Harry nodded; when Lupin phrased it that way, it made sense. But on the other hand, after the first war, some of the Death Eaters had been pardoned because they claimed to be repentant, saying that Voldemort had forced them to join and controlled them with an Imperius Curse...

"For my part," Lupin said quietly, as if reading his mind, "I believe that Delia is truly repentant, and I bear her no grudge. I don't believe that she will ever again make the mistake of allowing herself to be ruled by fear and intimidation, nor will she ever allow Serafina to be put in such danger again. But as for Stewart and the others who bear grudges against the Death Eaters..." Lupin sighed sadly. "Nothing that you or I can say will make them change their minds. And Stewart probably doesn't realize it, but even if Delia and everyone else linked to the Death Eaters were put in prison or even executed, it would not bring him peace of mind, because nothing can bring his father back. He will have to heal in his own way and time. Having patient and understanding friends might help..."

"Like I told Professor Snape, I don't really know him," Harry said uncomfortably. "I'll try to be nice to him from now on, but I don't think we really got off on the right foot, considering what happened in Hogsmeade...he probably won't want to be friends with me."

"And I doubt that he'll accept any overtures from me, considering the company I keep," Lupin said with a rueful smile as he looked at Snape, softening his words by stroking Snape's arm gently. Snape just gave him a small, sardonic smile in response. "I'll speak to Professor Flitwick," Lupin continued. "As Stewart's Head of House, he'll know best how to help him. Do you know who his friends are, Harry?"

"Not really," Harry replied, "but he was hanging out with Dean, Susan, Jack, and Andrew today at The Three Broomsticks. Oh, and Isabelle Laroque; he seems to be spending a lot of time with her lately, or at least I've heard some of the girls in Gryffindor gossiping about it. Well, the guys too, actually." The French girl was quite popular among the boys, and some of them had been bemoaning the fact that she seemed to be taken, while others were still hoping that they had a shot with her.

"She lost relatives to the Death Eaters as well," Snape told Lupin, who looked worried.

"But she got mad at Stewart when he was rude to Mrs. Avery," Harry told them. "And she apologized to Mrs. Avery for Stewart's behavior."

Snape frowned, looking puzzled. "Well, that's somewhat unexpected."

"The Prewett brothers died before Isabelle was born," Lupin said. "Perhaps that's why she's able to remain more objective about it, since she never really knew her uncles. She's polite and intelligent, but a little reserved. I haven't gotten to know her as well as some of my other students."

"Well, we'll keep an eye on Mr. Ackerley and his friends," Snape said, "though I don't think it will go beyond the usual name-calling. But perhaps I should think of some particularly vile detention tasks, just in case they step out of line..."

"I'm not sure that will help matters, Severus..."

Lupin and Snape seemed to be getting wrapped up in their discussion, almost as if they had forgotten Harry was here, and he rose to his feet, figuring that now would be a good time to leave.

"Oh, sorry, Harry," Lupin said, glancing up and looking a little startled. "We didn't mean to ignore you--"

"Speak for yourself, Lupin," Snape muttered.

"It's okay, Professor," Harry reassured Lupin. "Thank you for talking to me; I feel a little better now."

"I'm glad, Harry," Lupin said, smiling warmly at him. "Please feel free to stop by anytime you want to talk."

Snape looked a little irked by that offer, and Harry hastened to say, "And thank you, Professor, for explaining things to me." Snape stared at him in shock, and whatever insult or complaint he was about utter died on his lips. "The next time I want to talk to Professor Lupin, I'll try to go to his office," Harry added, and quickly left the room before Snape had a chance to recover.

***

By the time Snape recovered his composure, Potter was gone, and he found himself glaring at the door that had just closed behind the boy. Damn that boy for causing trouble even when he didn't intend to! Potter's queries about forgiveness had awakened old and familiar feelings of guilt, because Snape still hadn't entirely forgiven himself for the things he had done--or not done--as a Death Eater. He would never forget the people he had seen tortured and killed while he had stood by and watched, unable to intervene without risking his cover and his life, and he would always regret not being able to save Evan and Lyall, no matter how much Lupin and Dumbledore assured him that it wasn't his fault. It helped a little that Dylan didn't blame him, but only a little. He sighed and leaned back against the couch, saying wearily, "So it's starting again."

"I thought things would be different after the war," Lupin said, looking distressed.

Snape shook his head. "You Gryffindors are too naive. The hostility between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and to a lesser extent, the other Houses, has existed for hundreds of years. I told you before, you can't change that overnight."

"But it's not just the usual House rivalry, Severus," Lupin objected. "It's causing internal conflict within the other Houses, or at least in Gryffindor. Seamus and Dean have broken up a friendship that's lasted for nearly seven years just because Seamus wants to date a girl who's friendly with the Slytherins. And there's the way Jarrett and Kenneth picked on Portia..."

"It's not like there haven't been bullies in Gryffindor before," Snape pointed out with a slightly bitter smile. "It's just that they usually bully people in other Houses." Lupin's eyes filled with guilt, which in turn made Snape feel even more guilty. He put his arm around Lupin and pulled him close, stroking his cheek in apology. Lupin laid his head on Snape's chest and sighed, a sound that managed to be both sad and contented at the same time. Suddenly Snape was curious about something. "Sorry for dredging up the past, Remus, but I was just wondering...did people in Gryffindor ever harass Black or Rafe for being from Slytherin families?"

Lupin thought about it. "Maybe a few people at first, but it didn't last long. Sirius and James bonded on the train when they stopped some older boys from picking on Peter. Maybe under different circumstances James might have been a little suspicious of Sirius, but that incident convinced him that Sirius was definitely all right, and James had absolute faith in the House system: if someone was a Gryffindor, they must by definition be brave and loyal." Lupin grimaced. "Although, obviously Peter eventually proved that wasn't true. Most of the other Gryffindors thought the same way James did, though--that the members of your House are your family, and you stick by them no matter what. And Sirius and Rafe were both charming and charismatic boys who were quickly able to win over any doubters. It helped that they both excelled at Quidditch, and were star players for the team."

Snape felt a little envious. "In Slytherin, we banded together outwardly against the other Houses, but at the same time, internally there was always a lot of infighting and scheming and power struggles going on."

"Your Slytherins have changed for the better," Lupin told him, "but I'm not sure that the Gryffindors have. Maybe we should call a staff meeting to discuss the situation--"

"Didn't you just tell Potter that you won't change the minds of people like Ackerley just by talking to them?" Snape pointed out. "You said that they have to work things out on their own."

"You're right, Severus," Lupin agreed reluctantly. "But I hate to see the students at odds with each other like this."

"It's not really anything new, Lupin," Snape said philosophically. "People have hated, or at least distrusted, the Slytherins since Salazar left Hogwarts."

Lupin sighed again, then suddenly looked more cheerful and said hopefully, "But at least Harry and Ron have matured a great deal, and Allegra is the first Gryffindor since Rafe Dietrich to openly have friends in all four Houses, including Slytherin. She's been popular among most of the Gryffindors ever since the Rat-Hex incident, even though a few of them still snub her. That's a positive sign, don't you think, Sev?"

"Yes, Lupin," Snape agreed, mostly to make his lover feel better, but then he thought that maybe Lupin was right after all. There was still some tension and hostility, but the amount of inter-House mingling that was currently going on was unprecedented. He supposed it was a good sign, even if all the Gryffindor-Slytherin chumminess was rather annoying. And the war was over and the Dark Lord was dead; that thought made Snape feel much better, and he wrapped his arms around Lupin and kissed him. Lupin kissed him back, and Snape could feel the werewolf relaxing in his embrace. Yes, things weren't really so bad, after all, Snape decided. His students were all safe, and while he might have to worry about them getting into verbal arguments and maybe even hexing each other, he didn't think that he really had to worry about them killing each other...

***

Isabelle cornered Stewart alone after the Halloween feast and snapped, "What did you think you were doing?"

"The Death Eaters killed my father!" Stewart shot back. "You can't expect me to just sit there and be polite to one of them!"

"Don't forget that they killed my uncles and sent my mother into hiding!" Isabelle retorted. "But by acting like you did, you're only drawing suspicion to yourself! Because of your hotheadedness, I had to apologize to Avery so that people wouldn't think that we were conspiring together!"

"You apologized?" Stewart asked in shock.

"Yes," Isabelle replied firmly. "Think, Stewart--what do you want to achieve? Shouting insults at a washed-up Death Eater working as a waitress might make you feel better right now, but what about our long-term goals? I don't just want to humiliate Delia Avery; I want all of the Death Eaters to be exposed for what they really are, and I want to see that they're punished for their crimes. But we have to go about it carefully. Dumbledore is protective of his so-called reformed Death Eaters."

Stewart began to calm down, and the anger drained out of his face. "You're right. I'm sorry; I didn't think. But how long are we going to sit around and observe these Death Eaters? I think it's time to take some action!"

Isabelle frowned, then slowly nodded. "Perhaps you're right. It doesn't look like they're going to do anything to give themselves away anytime soon, so we may need to do something to draw them out." She hesitated. "I don't think we should mention this to Susan and Dean, though. I think Susan would object to acting before we have hard evidence."

"Yes," Stewart agreed, "Susan is a nice girl, but she's a follow-the-rules type, like most Hufflepuffs." He grinned sheepishly. "Er...no offense intended."

"None taken," Isabelle replied with a smile. "That seems to be true for the most part. But the enemy doesn't play by the rules."

"Exactly!" Stewart said vehemently. "Now I have an idea--the Gryffindor-Slytherin match is coming up this weekend. If we could place a hex on one of the Slytherin player's brooms, they'll probably blame Gryffindor for it--"

"And if they attack Gryffindor, everyone will see their true colors," Isabelle finished with a satisfied smile. "Although there's always the possibility that they'll think one of their own did it. There seems to be some conflict within the House from what I've heard. Everyone saw Theodore Snape-formerly-Nott argue with his cousin in the Great Hall during the first week of school, and everyone knows that they hate each other."

"And some of the Slytherins probably resent Draco for the way he used to lord it over them back when Lucius Malfoy was still alive," Stewart said, looking worried.

"It doesn't matter," Isabelle said confidently. "If it sows dissension within the House, that's all to the good. It can't hurt to have the Slytherins at each other's throats."

"It should be Dylan or Theodore that we hex," Stewart suggested. "That way Snape will get drawn into the conflict, whether with Gryffindor or Slytherin. And then maybe he'll slip and show that he's not really so reformed after all."

"The only question is," Isabelle said, "how do we get to their equipment? Our plan will fall apart if we're exposed."

Stewart's face fell. "I hadn't thought about that."

"Well, let me think about it," Isabelle said. "Tristan is a Quidditch player, so he has an excuse to be on the Pitch or in the equipment storage room. Maybe he could manage it."

"Most of the players keep their brooms in their dorm rooms," Stewart told her. "And I hear that the Slytherins are especially paranoid about letting anyone tamper with their broomsticks--probably because they've done it to other players themselves."

***

But as it turned out, a perfect opportunity presented itself. Draco's rose-and-ribbon campaign last year had been a huge success among the female students. He had no plans to repeat it this year, however, so the girls at Hogwarts decided to take matters into their own hands. Parvati came up with idea of making ribbon rosettes in House colors to give to a favorite player for good luck.

"Like a lady giving her knight a scarf to wear in battle," she declared dramatically one day in the Great Hall during breakfast, and Draco rolled his eyes.

"It's your own fault," Damien told him cheerfully. "She got the idea from you. Hey, Parvati, you'll make me a rosette, won't you? I'll be your champion!"

"Maybe," she said with a coy smile. "But if you win, my champion, then that means that my House will lose."

Damien went over to the Gryffindor table and went down on one knee beside Parvati as the Gryffindor girls giggled. "Star-crossed lovers," he said dramatically. "What could be more romantic?"

Parvati laughed at him, but looked pleased. "I'll think about it."

"You carried one of Dylan's roses at last year's match," Damien complained in a plaintive voice.

"I predict that you'll get so many rosettes that you won't be able to get off the ground if you wear them all," a grinning Blaise told Dylan, who looked dismayed and alarmed at the thought.

"This is all your fault," Dylan said to Draco accusingly.

"It's not my fault that you're the most popular boy in the school," Draco protested. "You'd think that your romance with Granger might have put a damper on things."

Isabelle was supposed to meet Gabrielle Delacour afterschool for one of their regular get-togethers to converse in their native language, but the younger girl ran after Isabelle as they left the Great Hall after breakfast to go to class.

"I just wanted to tell you that I can't meet with you today," Gabrielle said apologetically. "Some of us are getting together to make rosettes for the Quidditch players this afternoon."

"Let me guess," Isabelle said with a smile. "You're making a green and silver rosette for Dylan Rosier." Gabrielle blushed, and Isabelle laughed gently. "Well, he is a very handsome boy."

"He is," Gabrielle said, still blushing, "and he's very nice, too."

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Isabelle said. "Would it be all right if I joined you? It sounds like fun."

"Of course!" Gabrielle said, looking flattered. "Professor Flitwick is letting us use the Charms classroom."

"I'll meet you there," Isabelle said.

To Isabelle's delight, Allegra Zabini was there as well, along with some of her Gryffindor friends. Apparently Allegra and Gabrielle had become friends during Herbology class, which the first-year Gryffindors and Ravenclaws shared. Isabelle carefully slipped some hexed ribbons into the piles of ribbons that Allegra and Gabrielle were using when they weren't looking. It wouldn't do for Isabelle to be caught giving a hexed rosette to Dylan, and besides, he would likely get more than he could wear, and he wasn't likely to wear one from a girl that he barely knew. However, he was very fond of Gabrielle and Allegra, and would likely wear their rosettes so as not to hurt their feelings. Allegra was also making rosettes for some of the other Slytherin players, so Isabelle couldn't guarantee that Dylan would be the one to get the hexed ribbons, but it didn't really matter if one of the other players was affected instead, although Snape was more likely to get upset if either Dylan or Theodore was hurt.

Isabelle handed her own rosette to Dylan later that night, mumbling, "For being so nice to Gabby," and ducking her head as if embarrassed, acting like a shy girl with a crush on the most popular boy in the school. She couldn't quite bring herself to simper and giggle at him the way most of the other girls did, but Dylan seemed to find her act convincing.

"Thank you very much," he said with a polite smile, and Isabelle ran away, still pretending to be embarrassed. When she looked back from a safe distance, she saw that he was dealing with several more blushing and giggling girls handing him rosettes, and had most likely already forgotten about her. Gabrielle and Allegra had already given him their rosettes, and he had promised to tie them to his broom. Now all that was left to do was to wait for Saturday's match and see what happened.

***

Lukas normally enjoyed teaching his first-year Physical Defense students, but they were all distracted by the upcoming Quidditch match, and found it difficult to concentrate--all except for Tristan Ames-Diggory. Even though he was just as excited about the match as his classmates, he remained focused and worked hard during class, probably because Lukas had told him that a Quidditch player would benefit from the strength and quick reflexes he was building up in class.

"Well done, Mr. Ames-Diggory," Lukas said at the end of class, and the boy grinned up happily at him like a puppy who had just been patted on the head.

"Thank you, Master Bleddri!"

Lukas sighed inwardly. For some reason that he didn't understand, Tristan had taking a liking to him. Unfortunately, the boy's all-too-familiar features stirred up unpleasant memories for Lukas, but it was hardly fair to hold a grudge against the child for crimes that had been committed by his relatives before he was born. "Ten points to Hufflepuff," Lukas said, and Tristan's smile grew wider. "As for the rest of you," Lukas added sternly, "you had better put more effort into your next session, or I'll be handing out detention--and it would be a shame to miss Saturday's game, wouldn't it?"

He had finally found an effective threat; he wished that he'd thought of it sooner. The students looked horrified and fervently promised to do better next time. "Class dismissed," he said, and they ran out of the room.

Even his fellow teachers could talk of nothing but the upcoming match. Snape and McGonagall had a semi-friendly rivalry going and had wagered fifteen Galleons on the outcome of the game, although Lukas was a little doubtful about how "friendly" the bet really was. Lupin, of course, couldn't wait to see his foster sons play, and the other teachers were speculating on which team would win. Satoshi was making a few wagers of his own.

"Ten Galleons says that Slytherin will win."

"Yeh're on!" Hagrid said. "I almost feel guilty fer stealin' yer money! Gryffindor can't lose; they've got Harry Potter!"

"But they did lose last year, or so I have heard," Satoshi said.

"That play should've been ruled a foul!" Hagrid said indignantly.

Satoshi just smiled. "Harry is a remarkable player, it is true," he said pleasantly, "but I will wager on the slyness and cleverness of the Slytherins."

Lukas smiled a little. It figured that Satoshi, whose people used their magic and shape-shifting ability to beguile and play pranks on humans, would favor the House known for their deception and tendency to bend the rules. He briefly considered warning Hagrid that the tanuki had a reputation for swindling people out of their money, but Satoshi had been teaching here for almost a year, and if Hagrid hadn't figured it out by now, that was his problem. You'd think he would have been a little more cautious, especially after that little incident where Satoshi had gotten into hot water for teaching the students to "counterfeit" money by teaching them to turn bottlecaps into coins. Lukas hadn't been here back then, but Remus had told him about it, and the students still talked about it; they all thought it had been hilarious to see a teacher get in trouble and be hauled before the Headmaster by McGonagall like an errant student. Satoshi wasn't offended, and would chuckle about it himself if anyone brought the subject up.

"What about you, Lukas?" Satoshi asked. "Would you care to make a little bet on the game?"

"I'm not fool enough to give a tanuki my money," Lukas replied dryly, and Satoshi laughed good-naturedly. "Besides, I'm not a big Quidditch fan; I probably won't even go to the game."

"Oh, but you must come," Lupin urged. "You have to see Dylan and Theo play!"

"They're not my cubs, Lupin. I'm sure it will be sufficient for you and Snape to cheer them on."

"But it's all part of the Hogwarts experience!" Satoshi said enthusiastically. "You've got to embrace it!"

Lukas snorted derisively, but Dumbledore said cheerfully, "Master Satoshi is right. You should attend the game. Perhaps it will help you understand your students' enthusiasm for it a little, and who knows--you might actually like it."

"I was hired to teach," Lukas said stubbornly. "There's nothing in my contract about attending sporting events."

"Nevertheless," Dumbledore said gently, "I am ordering you to go the Quidditch match on Saturday. Have some fun, Lukas."

"Is that an order, too?" he asked sarcastically.

"Just a suggestion," Dumbledore said mildly.

"Fine," Lukas said sulkily. "I'll go, but I don't intend to have any fun."

"That would be a pity, my boy, but it's your choice."

If Lukas had been in his wolf form, he would have bitten his employer. He growled softly, still tempted to do it anyway. Snape gave him a sympathetic look, then muttered under his breath, "It's nice to see the old man getting on someone else's nerves for a change."

***

Snape and Lupin took their seats in the teachers' stand on Saturday morning. Lupin was wearing both red-and-gold and silver-and-green rosettes pinned to his blue robes, and was carrying a Gryffindor pennant in his left hand, and a Slytherin pennant in his right hand.

"You know, perhaps you're taking this fairness thing a little too far," Snape grumbled good-naturedly.

"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport," Lupin said cheerfully. "Besides, why aren't you waving a Slytherin pennant? You are the Head of House and the father of two of the players, after all."

"Because it's beneath my dignity to wave a silly flag around, Lupin," Snape retorted. "And because it isn't necessary; the Slytherins know that I'm rooting for them." He looked up and called out to McGonagall, who was sitting with Dumbledore a few rows above them, "I hope you have your fifteen Galleons ready, Minerva!"

"I hope you have yours ready, Severus!" McGonagall retorted. "Because Gryffindor is going to win this year! My players won't be fooled by a trick play the way they were last year!"

"You Gryffindors are such sore losers," Snape muttered, then turned towards Lupin as the werewolf nudged him in the side. Lupin pointed down, and surprise and consternation filled Snape's face as he saw his mother making her way up the stands towards them.

"You look lovely, Lady Selima," Lupin told her, and it was true. She was dressed in Slytherin colors: a green velvet robe embroidered with silver trim along the edges, silver-and-emerald necklace and earrings, and emerald-studded silver combs that swept her dark hair back from her face. The rest of her hair fell loose across her shoulders, and even the silver strands scattered among the black seemed to complement her outfit. She looked beautiful and elegant, and carried herself with her usual dignified grace. "You must have been a real heartbreaker in your schoolgirl days," Lupin said with a mischievous grin.

"You flatter me, Professor," Selima said lightly, and Snape scowled at her suspiciously.

"What are you doing here, Mother?" he asked.

"I have come to see my grandson play Quidditch, of course," Selima replied innocently.

"This is the teachers' stand," Snape told her sourly. "You should be sitting with the other parents and relatives in the Slytherin section. Even Black is sitting with the Gryffindors, not here with the teachers." It annoyed him a little that Branwen was sitting with her husband among the Gryffindors, although like Lupin, she was holding both Gryffindor and Slytherin pennants. Still, he supposed that she was obligated to show some support for her step-godson.

"Well, forgive me for breaking with protocol," Selima said, sounding a little miffed. "I didn't think it would do any harm to sit with my son during the match, and besides, I didn't feel like being polite to the Parkinsons and Baddocks today."

Lupin regarded Selima with sympathy, but Snape gave his mother another suspicious look. His mother had come to see him play Quidditch as a student, even if that had been at least twenty years ago, and she knew perfectly well that family members sat in the House sections of the stands. Lady Selima never broke protocol, and she had never before let the fact that she disliked certain members of the pureblood elite stop her from socializing with them.

"She had might as well stay," Lupin said. "She won't be able to make it to the Slytherin stand before the game starts."

"Yes, please stay, Lady Selima," Dumbledore said pleasantly, his eyes twinkling merrily behind his half-moon glasses. "There's no need to stand on protocol, and I'm sure that Severus will be glad of your company."

Snape was not glad of her company, and he glared at the meddling old wizard, but there was nothing else he could do about it, since the Headmaster had given his permission for Selima to stay. "Thank you, Headmaster," Selima said sweetly, and took a seat next to Snape. "Will you introduce me to your colleagues, Severus? I believe I know most of them, but I see a few unfamiliar faces here..."

"Master Satoshi just started teaching Illusion classes here last year," Snape said. "I believe you met him briefly at the funeral. Master Satoshi, this is my mother, Lady Selima Snape."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the plump Japanese man said, taking Selima's hand, bowing over it dramatically and kissing her fingertips. "But you can't possibly be Professor Snape's mother--you're much too young and beautiful!"

"Oh, what a flatterer you are!" Selima said with a smile. "I don't believe a word of it!"

"You wound me, my Lady!" Satoshi protested, clutching at his chest as if his heart were breaking.

Snape scowled at the Illusions teacher; even if Satoshi was only acting according to his mischievous tanuki nature, it was still disconcerting for Snape to see one of his colleagues flirting with his mother. "And this is Master Bleddri," he growled, indicating Lukas, who was sitting next to Lupin, slouched down with his long blond hair falling across his face. "Our Physical Defense and Interspecies Relations instructor."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Selima said politely. The werewolf just nodded at her curtly, then looked away, bending his head and allowing his hair to fall forward and obscure his features again. Strangely enough, Selima made no comment about Bleddri's rude behavior, and neither did she seem offended by it.

Before Snape had time to reflect on her unusual behavior, though, the game began, with the two teams walking onto the Pitch, their robes and broomsticks bedecked with ribbons--Harry and Dylan had the most. "I want a nice fair game from all of you," Madam Hooch told the players, as she did at the start of every match, although her voice always seemed to be a little more stern when addressing the Slytherins. "Mount your brooms." The players did, and Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle, and both teams rose into the air.

The Creevey brothers were up in the announcer's booth by the scoreboard; Dennis had been given the announcer job after Lee Jordan graduated, and Colin was taking pictures of the match for the school paper. Jarrett Jordan had been petitioning for his cousin's old job, but McGonagall had wanted to see him gain a little more experience first, and his involvement in the prank on Portia Pettigrew had certainly done nothing to make his Head of House change her mind.

"And they're off!" Dennis shouted. "Dean Thomas takes possession of the Quaffle--oops, no, Dylan Rosier just swooped down and snatched it away from him! Good play, Rosier, even if it is against my own House."

"Hey, whose side are you on?" someone cried from the Gryffindor stand.

"I just call it like I see it," Dennis retorted. "Rosier's heading down the Pitch towards the goal posts--ooh, he just barely evaded that Bludger; nice bit of maneuvering there. Ginny Weasley's hot on his tail--"

"Hey, that sounds kind of obscene!" someone called from the Slytherin stand.

"Only if you have a dirty mind!" Dennis shot back, blushing a little. "Rosier's passing the Quaffle to Theodore Nott--I mean, Snape--and he's throwing it towards the goal--no, it was a feint to distract Keeper Ron Weasley--now he's throwing it towards the other goal--Slytherin scores!"

The Gryffindors groaned, and the Slytherins cheered. Up in the teachers' stand, Snape shouted, "Yes!" and Lupin waved his green-and-silver pennant in the air, shouting, "Great play, Dylan and Theo!" Even Lady Selima seemed to be getting caught up in the excitement, and applauded enthusiastically, although it seemed to be beneath her dignity to shout encouragement at her grandson.

"Shall we make a little side wager, Sev?" Lupin murmured into Snape's ear. "That a certain Potions Master shall 'score' in the bedroom tonight if Slytherin wins the match?"

"Behave yourself, Lupin," Snape hissed, glancing over at his mother to see if she'd heard, but her attention was still fixed on the Pitch. "Besides, you're not going to bet against Slytherin, are you?"

"Indeed not," Lupin said with a grin. "I want you to win this wager!"

"Come on, Gryffindor," Dennis urged. "Time to even the score!"

"Dennis!" McGonagall shouted.

"Oops, right, the announcer is supposed to be impartial. Anyway, Ginny Weasley takes possession of the Quaffle; she's heading towards the Slytherin goals. Damien Pierce is going after her--a Bludger comes flying his way--ouch, that's gotta hurt!" Damien nearly tumbled off his broom, but just barely managed to hang on, gripping the broom with his legs and left hand--his right arm was dangling at his side. "It looks like Pierce is injured; I think his arm might be broken. Pierce is quitting the field, and Malcolm Baddock is taking his place. Meanwhile Ginny's aiming for the Slytherin goal--oh!" A collective groan arose from the Gryffindor stand. "New Keeper Millicent Bulstrode manages to deflect it! Now Rosier's got the Quaffle again--"

The game continued, with the two Seekers circling the Pitch, ignoring most of the action taking place below them. Seamus was hit in the head by a Bludger, but although he seemed a little dazed, insisted that he was fine and refused to quit the Pitch. The Gryffindor Beaters seemed to be trying especially hard to hit Dylan, but he nimbly avoided the Bludger each time. Gryffindor had a foul called against them when Dean deliberately slammed into Theodore when he was reaching for the Quaffle, and Slytherin also had a foul called against them when Goyle slammed his considerable bulk into Jack Sloper when the Gryffindor Beater began shouting insults at him. Goyle ignored the catcalls of "Death Eater!" and "Your dad's in prison!" but when Jack shouted, "Your mama was a mountain troll!" Goyle finally lost his temper.

Jack suddenly realized that maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all when he saw Goyle heading towards him like a cannonball, but it was too late to get out of the way.

"FOUL!" Madam Hooch called, but that was small consolation to Jack, who was taken off the field on a stretcher; Goyle was undamaged. Gryffindor was allowed a penalty shot, which tied both teams at fifty points each.

The Snitch came into view just as Isabelle whispered a brief incantation under her breath, gripping her wand beneath the folds of her robe. None of the other Hufflepuff spectators noticed, as their attention was riveted on the Pitch, except for Tristan, who had been informed by Isabelle and Stewart about the secret plan. He grinned, and waited eagerly for the dormant hex to be activated.

Just by chance, Dylan had received all the hexed ribbons. He wore a rosette from Hermione pinned to his chest, and he had tied several others, including the ones from Allegra and Gabrielle, to the handle of his broomstick. Suddenly the broom began to jerk and buck, nearly throwing Dylan off; he held on with just one hand and frantically tried to pull himself back up, but his efforts were hindered by the bucking motion of the broomstick, and the way it was zigzagging through the air of its own accord.

"Dylan!" Theodore shouted. He had the Quaffle in his hands, but immediately dropped it and flew off in pursuit of his foster brother. Millicent abandoned her post to help him, and Malcolm, Crabbe, and Goyle joined her. Unfortunately, that meant there was no one to control the Slytherin Bludger.

"Look out!" Ginny screamed, as the Bludger headed straight for Theodore's head; he just barely ducked in time. Crabbe and Goyle flew after the Bludger, trying to catch it and wrestle it to the ground. Meanwhile, Ginny, Ron, and Seamus joined Theodore, Millicent, and Malcolm in trying to help Dylan. Dean and Andrew just sat on their brooms looking stunned, not knowing what to do.

In the teachers' stand, Snape shouted at Lupin, "See if you can find out who's casting the hex!" then began chanting a counter-curse. Professor Flitwick immediately offered Lupin the binoculars he was using, and Lupin took it and scanned the crowd.

"I don't see anyone who seems to be chanting an incantation," Lupin said in a worried voice. He spotted Aric in the Slytherin stand, but Theodore's cousin seemed to be just as surprised as everyone else, and he definitely wasn't casting a spell: his hands were empty, and his mouth was hanging open in shock. Feeling a little guilty for suspecting members of his own House, he scanned the Gryffindor stand next, but saw only students shouting in fear and surprise. Fighting a rapidly growing sense of panic, he scanned the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff stands, but couldn't find the culprit among them, either. In desperation, he even looked among the teachers, remembering how Quirrell had once hexed Harry during a Quidditch match, but none of them seemed to be casting a spell. They were all pointing and shouting and arguing about what they should do.

"I predicted he would face great danger," Trelawney said almost triumphantly.

"Oh, shut up, you silly cow, and do something useful!" Lukas snapped. Trelawney glared at him indignantly, but he ignored her, and jumped up and ran down the stairs towards the Pitch. Lupin hesitated, then ran after him. Selima stayed behind, joining her son in chanting the counter-curse.

Meanwhile, Harry and Draco had been intent on pursuing the Snitch, and it took them a few minutes to notice the commotion going on below. When Harry saw Dylan fighting to keep his grip on the broomstick, he instantly abandoned the chase and flew down to help. Draco hesitated for a moment, torn between helping his friend and taking advantage of the perfect opportunity to catch the Snitch and win the game. A true Slytherin would go after the Snitch; it was every man for himself in Slytherin, and besides, it was the teachers' responsibility to deal with a situation like this. But then Draco remembered how Dylan had stood by him and offered to be his friend--a real friend--after the Malfoy family had been disgraced and Draco had lost all his former sycophants. He gave the Snitch one last, wistful look, then flew down after Potter.

Madam Hooch and most of the players were trying to help Dylan, but it wasn't easy, as the broom darted through the air, zigging and zagging seemingly at random. Theodore managed to get close enough to grab Dylan's broomstick and try to steady it, but it jerked upward, and he lost his grip and nearly fell off his own broom.

Dylan was still hanging onto the broom with one hand, but his fingers, slick with sweat, were slowly losing their grip. Ron pulled up alongside him and shouted, "Grab my hand, Rosier!" He held out his hand, and Dylan reached for it, but his broom suddenly swooped downwards, and his fingers slipped out of Ron's grasp.

Meanwhile, Dennis was keeping up a running commentary, and Colin continued to snap pictures. "Rosier's broom is out of control! Could it be Dark Magic, perhaps the same hex that was cast on Harry Potter's broom during his first Quidditch match? Oh no--Rosier's lost his grip on the broom!"

The broomstick bucked violently, and Dylan finally lost his hold on the broom. He screamed as he hurtled towards the ground. In the stands, Snape broke off his counter-curse and shouted out a levitation spell to try and halt Dylan's fall, but he was too far away for the spell to take effect. In the Slytherin stand, Goewin screamed in fear and despair as she watched her great-nephew fall. Damien was sitting on the sidelines, watching in horror--he had refused to leave until the game was over, forcing a grumbling Madam Pomfrey to treat him on the field. Lukas grabbed Damien's broom and jumped on it, cursing under his breath because he knew he would be too late. Lupin pulled out his wand, trying to think of a spell that would save his son, but was hindered by the frantic howling of the wolf inside his head.

As if they had rehearsed it, Draco and Harry dove down in unison and each grabbed hold of one of Dylan's arms. He cried out in pain as the sudden jolt nearly wrenched his arms out of his sockets, but he smiled at them gratefully. Down on the field, Lupin fell to his knees and began to weep. Lukas landed beside him, whispering, "Thank Merlin." Draco and Harry slowly descended, and gently lowered Dylan to the ground. Theodore and the other players who had been trying to rescue Dylan landed, looking relieved.

As Lupin grabbed Dylan and held him tightly, the Snitch suddenly flew down and hovered right in front of Harry and Draco. It seemed to be meekly waiting to be taken. The two boys stared at each other for a moment.

"Shall we do it together?" Harry suggested with a smile.

As Draco watched a sobbing Lupin embrace Dylan, winning the game no longer seemed so important to him, somehow. Draco shrugged and said, "Sure, why not?" Then he and Harry slowly reached out and grasped hold of the Snitch simultaneously.

Part 38