Aftermaths, Part 115

by Geri ([email protected])

Rating: Mostly PG-13, but NC-17 for overall story

Pairing: Snape/Lupin, Theodore/Blaise

Warning: AU; events that occurred at the end of Order of the Phoenix were significantly altered from the book.

Sequel to: Always, Summer Vacation, For Old Time's Sake, Three's a Crowd, Return of the Raven, Phoenix Reborn, and Phoenix Rising.

Summary: The various characters deal with the aftermath of the war, and Snape and Lupin try to build a family together with Theodore and Dylan. However, some people are unable to let go of the past...

Author's note: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to J.K. Rowling, except Hob, who belongs to William Mayne; no money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
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Snape went back to his quarters and used his communication mirror to contact Lady Selima, who looked intrigued by what he had to say. "Why don't you stop by for some tea afterschool?" she suggested. "I should have some information for you by then. Or if the news is urgent, I'll send a message to the school."

"She looks quite happy," Lupin observed after Snape ended the spell and the mirror went blank.

"That's because she is in her element," Snape replied. "This is what pureblood women live for, after all--to gossip about their peers."

Lupin shook his head. "It seems like a waste of Lady Selima's considerable talent, but I suppose that at least this time her gossip sessions are helping us to help a student."

"It's not a complete waste of time," Snape said, somewhat to Lupin's surprise. "They don't gossip just for pure entertainment, or at least my mother doesn't. It's a means by which to gather information and exert influence to promote your family's standing."

"I'm afraid that I will never really understand the Slytherin way of thinking," Lupin sighed.

"Oh, you seem to understand it well enough to manipulate me and my Slytherins," Snape said dryly, "and even Lady Selima." Lupin just grinned at him. "And my mother's talents are not wasted, Lupin. She's been running the Snape estate behind the scenes for years, probably even before my father got sick."

"A formidable woman, your mother," Lupin said, still grinning.

"Indeed," Snape said.

The rest of the morning passed without incident. Neither Draco nor Aric made any trouble in class for a change; they were both sullen but quiet. Lupin was so worried about Aric that he completely forgot that he had been concerned about the howling he had heard last night. McGonagall, however, had not forgotten.

Lukas skipped breakfast, as he sometimes did the morning after the full moon, but he did show up on time to teach his classes, and he joined the other teachers in the Great Hall for lunch. "Master Diggory," McGonagall said sternly, "was that you I heard howling last night?"

"Yeah, and what of it?" Lukas retorted in a surly tone that none of the other teachers would ever have dared to use on her. He looked pale and tired, with dark circles under his eyes, and he sounded almost as sullen as Draco and Aric.

"Some of the students found it disturbing," McGonagall, glaring at him as if she would like to give him detention. "It is hardly seemly for a teacher to be running around howling at the moon and frightening the students!"

"Oh, give me a break!" Lukas scoffed. "You've got a giant squid and mermen in the lake; giant spiders, centaurs, and God knows what else in the forest; not to mention exploding furballs and flesh-eating horses in Hagrid's classes--"

"Hey!" protested Hagrid indignantly.

"--so I hardly think that the students will be traumatized by a little howling," Lukas finished sarcastically.

"That may be true, Lukas," Dumbledore said in a pleasant tone as McGonagall fumed, "but you know that if Amos Diggory hears about this, he'll use it against you in court. I think it would be best if you...ah...restrain your wolfish instincts in the future, at least until your lawsuit has been resolved."

Lukas noticed Sprout frowning at him disapprovingly, and he said pointedly, "Oh, I'm sure my dear uncle will hear about this--you Hufflepuffs stick together, don't you? House loyalty and all that..."

Sprout's face turned red, although Lupin was not sure whether it was due to anger, guilt, or possibly both. Before she could reply, Dumbledore said, "I am sure that Professor Sprout will behave in a professional manner and respect the confidentiality of her colleagues." His voice was mild, but there was a look of warning in his eyes that seemed to be directed at both Sprout and Lukas.

"I'm not one to go telling tales," Sprout said stiffly. "But neither will I cover up for anyone if they become a danger to the students."

"It's bad enough that the students are always fighting with one another," Branwen said irritably. "But how are they supposed to overcome this silly House rivalry when the teachers are sniping at each other?"

"I never even belonged to a bloody House!" Lukas growled.

"Amos Diggory is a fellow Hufflepuff, yes," Sprout said, glaring at Branwen. "But he is also a friend that I have known for several years." She turned to look Lukas in the eye. "He is a good man. He was a good father to his son."

"Yes, yes, I've heard all about what a wonderful father Amos was," Lukas said bitterly. "But no one seems to care what happened to my father."

"I'm sorry about your father," Sprout said, looking uncomfortable. "But I can't believe that Amos could possibly have had anything to do with his death. There's no proof that it was anything other than an accident."

"But I am living proof that he is guilty of at least one crime," Lukas said, his yellow-green eyes hard and cold. "The crime of conspiring to fake my death, cheat me of my inheritance, and imprison me on the Gravenor estate."

"Perhaps what he did was wrong," Sprout said, looking less certain of herself, "but I am sure his intentions were good--"

"And we know what the road to hell is paved with," Snape muttered under his breath.

Sprout shot a quick glare his way, then continued, "I am sure he didn't know that the Gravenors were mistreating you."

"I doubt that he cared what they did with me once I was out of his sight," Lukas said bitterly.

"I'm sure that he--"

"You sound just like his lawyer, do you realize that?"

The other teachers were beginning to look nervous and embarrassed about witnessing what seemed like a rather private and personal quarrel, except for Branwen, who was looking increasingly vexed, and Snape, who was affecting an air of cynical indifference. And also Lupin, who was looking very frustrated.

"Enough!" cried Lupin, throwing his fork down on the table. "Enough, already!" Everyone turned to stare at him in shock, including Sprout and Lukas. "I am sick of House rivalries, I am sick of watching this school slowly become as divided as it was before the war, and I am sick of watching you two fight in full view of the students you are supposed to be setting an example for!"

Lupin rose from his seat and was about to leave the table when Snape said sarcastically, but with a faint hint of amusement, "Oh, that's setting a good example for the students, Lupin--storming out of the Hall in the middle of lunch." Lupin glared at him for a moment, then smiled sheepishly and sat back down.

Sprout and Lukas looked chastened as well, especially when they saw the students watching the head table with obvious interest in their eyes. "Sorry, Remus," Lukas mumbled, and Lupin had a mental image of a wolf laying back its ears and tucking its tail between its legs, which made him smile.

"You're right," Sprout said. "We shouldn't be fighting in front of the students, regardless of our personal feelings." She looked at Lukas, her face still stubborn and determined, but less hostile now. "I doubt that either of us will be able to change the other's mind, so let us agree to disagree, Master Diggory." She held out her hand, and after a moment of hesitation, Lukas shook it.

"Agreed."

"It's so much fun to watch you lose your temper, Lupin," Snape whispered to his lover. "Considering that it doesn't happen very often, and it's even more rare when I am not the cause of it."

Lupin smiled and whispered back, "I love you, too, Sev."

"Not in public, Lupin!" Snape said in a huffy tone, and Lupin's smile grew wider.

After lunch, Lupin told Snape, "I'll meet you after classes are over," then hurried to catch up with Lukas. "Can I talk to you for a minute, Lukas?" he called.

"Make it quick, Lupin," the other werewolf growled. "We both have classes to teach."

"Then I'll get right to the point," Lupin said. "What's wrong? I know it's not the Wolfsbane Potion, because we both drank from the same batch and I was fine. You never spend the full moon alone, so what were you doing out on the school grounds, away from your friends and your pack?"

"It's none of your business, Lupin," Lukas said. He started to turn away, but Lupin was not willing to give up yet, and he moved closer, invading the other werewolf's personal space in a rare aggressive move, until his face was only a few inches away from Lukas's. The werewolf leader was too startled by Lupin's unusual behavior to immediately react.

"I am a wolf, too, Lukas," Lupin whispered. "The others might not have noticed anything unusual other than the howling itself, but I know that you weren't just howling at the moon like an ordinary wolf. It was a sound filled with loneliness. I remember howling the same way myself once, when Severus had been called to a Death Eater meeting, and I didn't know whether I would ever see him alive again or not." Lukas flinched, and Lupin's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What is going on, Lukas?"

"I said it's none of your business!" Lukas growled, roughly shoving Lupin away from him.

"I am your friend, Lukas," Lupin said. "If you are in pain, I want to help you. Or if you won't talk to me, go to your pack, but don't deal with this alone, whatever it is. You know that the term 'lone wolf' is an oxymoron--wolves are pack animals. We are not meant to be alone."

Lukas suddenly looked weary and sad. "Thank you for your concern, Remus," he said in a quiet voice. "But this is not something you can help me with. I'm afraid that this is something I must deal with on my own, even if it is contradictory to the nature of the wolf."

"But--" Lupin protested, but Lukas was already walking away. Lupin heaved a sigh of exasperation. Why was everyone suddenly so stubborn about accepting help from him?
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Lupin and Snape did not hear from Lady Selima by the time school was over for the day, so they took the Floo to Snape Manor, where Vorcher had already laid out tea for all of them.

"So what did you hear?" Lupin asked anxiously as he accepted a cup from the house-elf.

"A few interesting bits of gossip," Selima replied, "although I'm not sure how much help they will be to you. First of all, you must understand that the Dietrich family has been on the fringes of high society for the past several years. They are a wealthy family of old and pure blood, and they formed a marriage alliance with the Notts through Marta and Thaddeus. But as you know, relations between the two families became strained after young Rafe disappeared. The Dietrich family never openly accused Thaddeus of wrongdoing, but they began distancing themselves from the Notts and the other suspected Death Eaters. They sent their children to Durmstrang instead of Hogwarts, and they socialized as little as possible with the Death Eaters, even though that meant forgoing a number of important parties and events. The ties of marriage between the two families prevented Lucius Malfoy from taking direct retribution against the Dietriches, but because they did not toady to him, neither did they receive the plum Ministry positions that Lucius arranged for his sycophants. They lived quietly, keeping a low profile. When their daughter Erika graduated, they did not try to arrange a marriage for her with a high-ranking young pureblood man, because the families of the highest rank were mostly cronies of Lucius Malfoy. Instead, she took a job at the German branch of Gringotts, probably for the same reasons that she went to Durmstrang in the first place."

"To keep her--and Aric--out of reach of the Death Eaters," Lupin said quietly.

Selima nodded. "Not that they couldn't have gotten to the children if they had really wanted to, but it would have required a great deal of effort, probably more than the Death Eaters were willing to expend when the Dietriches were not really a threat to them. If they had remained in England, though, either Lucius or Thaddeus might have been tempted to try something, to teach the Dietrich family a lesson, or even just out of sheer spite. Thaddeus always was a sadist, even as a child. He once drowned a litter of stray kittens for his own amusement when he was ten years old."

"This little history lesson is all very interesting, Mother," Snape said impatiently, "but I don't see what this has to do with Mr. Dietrich's outburst this morning."

"I am getting to that, Severus," Selima admonished him. "I am merely giving Professor Lupin some background so that what I have to say will make more sense to him. First of all, there have been no deaths, illnesses, or injuries in the Dietrich family, so you may rest assured that that is not the cause of young Aric's distress."

"I'm glad to hear that," Lupin sighed in relief.

"However, I have heard some gossip that Dietriches have recently been entertaining the Tierney family," Selima continued.

"Who?" Lupin asked.

"A pureblood family of middle rank," Selima explained. "Not poor, like the Zabinis, but not wealthy or powerful enough to warrant Lucius Malfoy's attention, which turned out to be a good thing for them. Edward Tierney had a midlevel job at the Ministry, but was promoted to Head of International Magical Cooperation after several vacancies opened up after the demise or imprisonment of a number Ministry workers after the war ended." She smiled ironically. "It seems like the Death Eaters and their lackeys made up half of the Ministry staff."

"A slight exaggeration, but not by much," Snape admitted.

"Incidentally, Arthur Weasley offered it to your friend Sirius Black first," Selima told Lupin. "But he turned it down in favor of the Werewolf Support position. Everyone thought he was crazy, since the International Cooperation position was clearly the more prestigious one. But then, he is a Gryffindor."

"And everyone knows we Gryffindors are all crazy!" Lupin laughed. Selima actually smiled--a very faint but genuine smile, which pleased Lupin. He had noticed that she finally seemed to have accepted him as a part of Severus's life. She seemed to take it for granted that he would come along whenever Severus went to Snape Manor, without pointedly issuing a special invitation giving him permission to come, and she no longer regarded him with that air of grudging, long-suffering tolerance.

"Yes, everyone knows that the Gryffindors are a bunch of noble, self-sacrificing fools," Snape said, "but how does this relate to Mr. Dietrich?"

"I'm getting there, Severus," Selima said. "As I said, the Tierneys have been calling upon the Dietrich family quite often of late--more than ordinary socializing would warrant. Edward Tierney went to school with Aric's parents, and they were all in Slytherin together, but they were not especially close. Normally they see each other no more than a few times a year, usually at parties given by mutual friends. But the Tierneys have visited the Dietrich residence, or vice versa, several times in the last few weeks."

"And do you know why the two families are suddenly so friendly?" Snape asked with a wry smile.

"Of course, Severus," Selima replied, looking a little offended that he would cast doubt upon her information-gathering skills. "The Tierneys have a daughter who has recently come of age and graduated from Beauxbatons--a pretty but spoiled and willful young woman. She has caused her parents much distress in recent months--running with the wrong crowd, frequenting bars and nightclubs inappropriate for a woman of her breeding and rank, and...ah...being indiscreet with young men. Many young men. No official announcement has been made yet, but I think it's quite likely that her parents are hoping that a husband and a few babies will settle her down, or at least keep her too busy to get into trouble. Which may be hoping for too much, but that's not my problem. In any case, the Dietrich family has pure blood, a fair amount of wealth, a son of marriageable age, and most of all, they are not tainted by association with the Death Eaters. Even though Marta was married to one, everyone knows that the Dietriches unofficially repudiated their alliance with the Notts. Now that the Malfoys and their allies have fallen in status, there is an opportunity for the clans who remained neutral during the war to advance themselves."

Selima paused to take a sip of tea, and Lupin exclaimed, "You think that Aric's parents want to marry him off to this Tierney girl?!"

Selima seemed a little surprised by the expression of shock on Lupin's face. "That would be the most logical explanation. Although I don't really see why it should upset the boy so much. Although I suppose the prospect of marrying Miranda might be a little dismaying..."

"A little!" Lupin cried. "I would think that your parents arranging to marry you off to a stranger might be more than a little dismaying! And Aric's only just turned eighteen, he hasn't even finished school yet!"

"I was only eighteen when I married Severin," Selima reminded him. "I had no choice in the matter, but I didn't whine about it. Then again, parents do seem to spoil their children shamelessly these days."

"But...but..." Lupin stammered as Selima calmly drank her tea. "But after everything you've been through...would you really wish that experience on a child...to be forced into a loveless marriage of convenience?"

Selima stared back at Lupin, her black eyes expressionless. Just when he thought he was beginning to understand her, she would say or do something that caught him completely off-guard. He knew that she loved Theo and Severus in her own way, so it startled him to see her behaving with the cold and ruthless practicality of the Lady Snape he had first met. But perhaps he was unfairly projecting his Gryffindor idealism onto her; she had changed a great deal, to be sure, but it was unrealistic to expect her to turn into Molly Weasley. Sometimes he thought that the Slytherins were incredibly complex, rather like an onion--every time you peeled back one layer, there was always another beneath it. Maybe that was why Severus had been able to juggle his roles as teacher, Death Eater, and spy so efficiently, because every Slytherin wore several different masks and played several different roles in his or her life, depending on whom they were with.

"It's hardly a fate worse than death, Professor," Selima said in a cool voice. "Your student Aric comes from an old-fashioned family. His parents' marriage was arranged, and I'm sure he knew that they would arrange a marriage for him one day--although perhaps he didn't expect it to happen quite this soon. Is there some young lady that he has his heart set on?"

"He took Yvonne Deveraux to the Yule Ball," Snape replied, "but I don't think it was anything serious. I don't really keep track of the students' lovelives, but I'm pretty sure he's not dating anyone right now, if only because he's alienated most of his housemates." He looked over at Lupin, who was frowning thoughtfully. "Or do you know something I don't, Lupin?"

"Er...no," Lupin said. "I'm sure he's not dating any of the Slytherin girls. But it might still be upsetting to learn that you will have no say in whom you are to marry. And your description of his potential bride was hardly appealing."

Selima waved one hand in a dismissive gesture, "Oh, she's spoiled and shallow, but so are most pureblood women of rank, to be honest. He could do worse; she is a very beautiful girl, and his father-in-law will likely be able to get him a job at the Ministry after he graduates--"

"But Aric wants to be a mediwizard!" Lupin protested, beginning to understand why Aric had been so upset.

"A respectable enough job," Selima said, "but nothing compared to a Ministry position."

"Aric idolized his late uncle," Snape explained, "and Rafe Dietrich--"

"--was a mediwizard," Selima finished. "I see. Well, that sheds some light on matters, but I am not sure how you will be able to help your student, other than to resign him to his fate. His family may have spoiled their children a little, but they will never let him throw away a chance at a Ministry career for some childish sentiment."

"But they loved Rafe, too!" Lupin argued. "That's why they forgave him for becoming a Gryffindor." He turned to Snape and Selima with pleading eyes. "Maybe if you talk to Aric's parents, use some of your pureblood influence--"

Snape shook his head. "They are hardly likely to listen to me, Remus. I am a former Death Eater, and I adopted the son of the man who killed their beloved Rafe."

Selima gave Lupin a look that was almost sympathetic. "I do not think that they will listen to me, either, if they hold a grudge against Severus and Theodore. I am not close to the Dietrich family, and they will not give up an opportunity like this unless I can offer them something of equal value in return. Such a bribe would be substantial, and I am not willing to waste the Snape fortune or the favors I have accumulated on a boy I do not know, and who, from what you say, is an enemy of my grandson."

"He's not really an enemy," Lupin argued. "He's just having trouble coming to terms with his uncle's death--"

"Although it is a pity that Theodore is unmarriageable," Selima sighed, ignoring Lupin. "They might have traded one marriage alliance for another, and Erika would have made a good bride for Theodore. She's a few years older than him, but she's an attractive, intelligent, and practical girl, from what I've heard. Oh well, they are first cousins, and I suppose the blood relationship is a little too close for a proper marriage, although it has been done in the past. Still, one must consider the risks of inbreeding..."

Selima looked a little wistful about opportunities lost, and Lupin and Snape exchanged ironic smiles. Lupin sighed a little to himself; Lady Selima had spent her entire life scheming and negotiating for the good of her clan, first the Bashirs and then the Snapes, working to preserve the Snape reputation and bloodline. He supposed that he shouldn't expect her to be horrified about the idea of an arranged marriage, even if hers had not been an especially happy one.

"Thank you very much for the information, Lady Selima," Lupin said politely. "I really do appreciate it. I'm not sure how we will be able to help Aric, but at least now we know what's bothering him."

"You're welcome, Professor," Selima replied. As Lupin and Snape got ready to leave, she added, "Easter break is coming up soon, isn't it? The four of you must stop by the Manor for dinner."

"Yes, Mother," Snape said obediently, trying to move towards the fireplace quickly but unobtrusively.

"And don't think that I've forgotten about the family photo!" Selima called. "I've made an appointment with the photographer during the break, and I expect you to show up for it!"

Snape scowled at his mother and fled through the Floo as Lupin laughed. "Don't worry, Lady Selima. I'll make sure he shows up."

"Then I'll owl you the date and time," Selima said serenely. "Good day, Professor."

"Good day, Lady Selima."

When Lupin and Snape reported on their talk with Lady Selima to Theodore, he looked relieved to hear that there had been no deaths in the Dietrich family, although he shuddered in horror at the thought of marrying his cousin Erika. "No way! She's a worse bully than Aric, or at least she was when we were small. She even beat him up once, for breaking one of her dolls, although her mother scolded her for behaving in 'an unladylike manner'."

Dylan burst into laughter. "Oh, I would pay good money to see Aric being beaten up by his sister!"

Theodore smiled. "Well, that was over ten years ago. I don't think she's as wild now, though I haven't seen her in a long time."

Lupin smiled a little, too, but he warned his sons, "I don't want you teasing Aric about this or talking to the other Slytherins about it. It'll only make things worse."

"Why should we care about him, when he's done his best to make Theo miserable?" Dylan grumbled, but Theodore nodded at Lupin.

"I don't like Aric, but it's weird...I kind of almost feel sorry for him."

"I'm glad," Lupin said tenderly, and hugged his son.

"I'd feel awful if I was forced into an arranged marriage," Theodore continued.

"I'm not sure if it's the marriage so much as his future career that he objects to," Snape said.

"Yeah, Aric doesn't have a girlfriend," Dylan agreed, then grinned mischievously. "Or a boyfriend."

"That you know of," said Lupin.

Everyone turned to stare at him. "Do you know something we don't, Lupin?" Snape asked suspiciously.

Lupin smiled and said, "No, but I'm just pointing out that most people didn't know about Theo and Blaise, either. We don't really know what's going on in Aric's personal life." Lupin had a few suspicions, but decided to keep them to himself. Then his expression turned more serious as he said, "Maybe we should have a talk with him, Severus."

"We?" Snape complained. "You're the one that all the students confide in. I think that you should do it alone; I'll probably just antagonize him. Or maybe you could have Diggory help you. Dietrich seems to have taken a liking to the werewolf, for some reason. Besides, I don't see what good talking to the boy will do. If you really want to help him, shouldn't you be trying to figure out a way to convince his parents to let him become a mediwizard?"

"Yes, but as Lady Selima pointed out, his parents aren't likely to listen to us," Lupin sighed. "I'll try to think of something, of course, but in the meantime, Aric might feel a little better if he has someone to confide in." Theodore frowned, suddenly looking a bit jealous, and Lupin hugged him again and said gently, "I want to help Aric, not just because he's my student, but for your sake, too, because he's your cousin."

"No need to strain yourself on my account," Theodore muttered in a rather Snape-like tone of gruffness, but he relaxed and the jealousy left his face.

Lupin ruffled Theodore's hair affectionately. "I'll talk to Aric tomorrow," he decided. If he singled out Aric in the common room now or in the Great Hall at dinner, it would cause more gossip among the Slytherins, which might make things worse. It would be better to quietly ask him to remain behind after class tomorrow, and if necessary, Lupin could always give him detention. Lupin smiled wryly to himself; he was sure that he would have no difficulty in finding an excuse to give Aric a detention.

And waiting until tomorrow would also give Lupin a chance to enlist Lukas's help. "I think I will ask Lukas to talk to Aric with me," he said. "That was a good suggestion, Severus; thank you. Lukas is one of the few people that Aric likes and respects, although I'm sure he'd never admit it."

"Fine," Snape said, looking relieved. "I'll let the two of you handle it, then." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "It's getting late. We should head to the Great Hall before dinner starts."

So they headed to the Hall together, and Lupin felt a little better at having taken the first steps to help Aric, although he was still worried about how things were going to work out. He had once observed that Aric had the self-assurance of someone who had been loved and protected by his family, but did his parents love him enough to place their son's happiness over their own ambition? Or would they disown him if he didn't fall into line with their plans? And Aric was a typical pureblood; maybe it would never occur to him to defy his parents' orders, no matter how unhappy they made him.

Snape, seeming to read Lupin's thoughts, leaned over and whispered, "A marriage contract takes time to negotiate, Lupin. We have a little time to figure things out before they pass the point of no return." Lupin reached out and squeezed Snape's hand, giving him a grateful smile; the Potions Master scowled at him in response. "Not that I understand why you're interested in helping that spoiled brat Dietrich," Snape grumbled in a louder voice. "Working at the Ministry is hardly a fate worse than death; there are people who would kill for the opportunity. There are people that HAVE killed for the opportunity."

"True," Lupin said, "but I still think that Aric should have the freedom to choose how he will spend the rest of his life and whom he will spend it with."

"Most of the old pureblood families would consider that to be quite a revolutionary concept, Lupin," Snape quipped sardonically.

"We have already revolutionized--or at least scandalized--the world, my love," Lupin said, and the boys grinned. "And I think that Lukas will revolutionize it even more if he wins his lawsuit and becomes head of the Diggory family." Lupin's expression brightened and his spirits lifted as an idea occurred to him. "You know, maybe Arthur could help us. If it's a Ministry position that the Dietriches want, maybe he might be able to find one for them--not for Aric, but for another member of the family, one who really wants it? Do you think they would be satisfied with that?"

Snape looked surprised by Lupin's suggestion, but he nodded thoughtfully. "Possibly, although they'd probably prefer that Aric take the position since he is the heir of the family. But gaining the goodwill of the Minister might make up for that. It's a huge favor to ask of Weasley, though, especially when he's battling his own Department Heads over the issue of werewolf rights."

"I wouldn't want to make trouble for Arthur," Lupin said, "but surely it couldn't hurt to at least discuss the idea with him."

Snape nodded again. "He might actually gain something, if the Dietriches will agree to back his policies in return for the favor. Most of the old pureblood families oppose his policies of equal rights for nonhumans, so it would help to have one on his side, and it might persuade some of the others to follow suit. I'll talk to my mother about which members of the Dietrich family are best qualified for a Ministry position--Aric's sister, perhaps--and about the proper way to approach them regarding it. I know it's a difficult concept for your Gryffindor mind to grasp, but we must be subtle about this. The Dietriches will be suspicious of any overtures we make, and it will be a delicate matter to avoid offending the Tierneys, who probably won't be pleased about having their marriage negotiations ruined."

It was complicated dance of manners, one that Lupin could never have managed without Severus's help. He felt a sudden surge of warmth and tenderness towards his lover, who hated pureblood politics but was willing to endure them to help Lupin help Aric. He loved Severus for being willing to help Aric even though he disliked the boy, even if it was more for Lupin's sake than for Aric's. And he suspected that a small part of Severus was genuinely concerned about the boy, although he would never admit it out loud. He suddenly flung his arms around his lover and cried, "I love you, Severus!"

Just then a crowd of students walked by and giggled at them, and Snape shouted, "Argh! Let go of me, you stupid werewolf!" But Lupin refused to let go, his inner wolf growling happily as his mate struggled in his arms and the students kept laughing.
 

Chapter 116