Aftermaths, Part 21

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.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

The next day, Snape told Theodore, "Now that you're seventeen, you can apply for your Apparition license. But perhaps we should practice a little first." They cleared an open space in the living room, moving all the furniture back against the walls. Then with a piece of chalk, Snape drew a protective circle on the floor, one that contained a number of advanced runes that they hadn't covered in class yet. "You won't be able to Apparate beyond the confines of this circle," Snape explained. "That's also why I moved the furniture, so that you won't accidentally Apparate into a wall or an object, a common beginner's mistake." Theodore suddenly looked a little queasy and a lot less eager to apply for his Apparition license. "Relax, Nott," Snape told him. "It's perfectly safe with the precautions we've taken. You're a good mage, and I'm sure you'll be able to master the spell with a little practice." Theodore looked pleased at the compliment, though still a little nervous. "Besides, Branwen told me that Potter and Weasley got their licenses, and if those two idiots can do it, I'm sure you won't have any problems."

"Severus!" Lupin scolded.

"If Potter and Weasley can do it, so can I!" Theodore declared, suddenly looking determined. There was no way that he was going to let those two Gryffindors show him up!

"That's the spirit!" Snape said cheerfully, and Lupin shook his head, looking amused. "You know how the spell works?"

"In theory," Theodore replied.

"We'll start with a short distance," Snape said, "from one end of the room to the other; that should be simple enough." His voice took on the didactic tone he used in the classroom. "Of course, the spell becomes more difficult as the distance increases."

"Yes, sir."

"You must have your destination clearly pictured in your mind," Snape continued. "Which becomes more important when you're Apparating to a location out of sight."

"Yes, sir," Theodore repeated obediently.

"All right, then," Snape said. "Give it a try." Theodore stared at the other end of the room intently, picturing himself moving from here to there, but nothing happened; he was a little nervous, and it was difficult to concentrate with everyone watching him. "Focus, Mr. Nott," Snape said sternly. "You need to concentrate solely on the spell and shut out any outside distractions."

Theodore closed his eyes, trying to think only of Apparating, keeping the mental image of the opposite end of the room firmly fixed in his mind. Suddenly, he heard a loud cracking noise and opened his eyes to find himself on the other end of the room. Unfortunately, he had emerged above the floor--only a few inches, but it threw him off enough to stumble and fall to his hands and knees as he landed.

"You did it!" Dylan said, applauding.

"Very good for a first effort," Snape said with a small, wry smile. "But I think you need to focus a little more. Try it again."

The second time was a little easier, and Theodore Apparated back to Snape's side without incident. He Apparated back and forth a few more times until Snape was convinced that he'd gotten the hang of it.

"That looks fun," Dylan said wistfully. "I wish I was seventeen."

"Hmm," Snape said thoughtfully. "You're a bit young, but I think you're capable of handling it. Come here, and be careful not to step on the circle."

As Dylan carefully stepped over the chalk-drawn borders of the circle, Lupin said, "Um...Severus, isn't it technically illegal to be teaching him to Apparate?"

Snape added a few more runes to the circle and said, "These should ward out any prying eyes in case the Ministry should be spying on us."

"It's still illegal whether they're watching or not, Severus," Lupin pointed out.

"Yes, well, it was also illegal for the Death Eaters to torture and murder people, but that didn't stop them," Snape replied. "I'd feel safer if both of the boys knew how to Apparate. If Dylan had been able to Apparate, he might have been able to escape when Lucius kidnapped him, or when Voldemort forced him to wake the vampiric roses with his own blood."

"Voldemort is dead and the Death Eaters are defeated," Lupin reminded him.

"Yes, but..." Snape said, hesitating. He knew that Lupin was right, but the fear and caution he had lived with during all the years he had spent as a spy were not easily overcome. "Rabastan Lestrange hasn't been caught yet, and there are people who still bear grudges against the Death Eaters and those they deem Death Eater sympathizers."

Dylan looked back and forth from Lupin to Snape anxiously. He wanted to learn to Apparate, but he didn't want to start an argument between them. "It's not a big deal, Professor," he said. "I can wait till I'm seventeen."

But Lupin said, "If you really think it's that important, I won't stand in your way, Severus."

"I'm probably being a little paranoid," Snape admitted. "But still, I'd rather be safe than sorry."

"A disregard for the rules is a Slytherin trait," Lupin said with a smile. "Just make sure that we don't get in trouble with the Ministry over it."

Dylan proved to be as adept at Apparating as he was at nearly everything else he did. Theodore sighed a little, recalling Draco's complaints that Dylan was "so damn perfect," then smiled ruefully. "Just don't tell Draco that you can Apparate, or we'll never hear the end of it!"

"You can't tell anyone about this," Snape said sternly. "Because Lupin is right, it's illegal. You aren't to Apparate without my permission unless it's a life-or-death emergency, is that clear, Mr. Rosier?"

"Yes, sir," Dylan said solemnly. "I understand."

Confident that they had mastered the basics, Snape allowed them to Apparate from one room to another, which they managed to do without getting stuck in a wall or a piece of furniture. "That's enough for one day," Snape said. "I'm sure you'll pass the test with flying colors, Mr. Nott, and so will Mr. Rosier when he is able to apply next year."

Theodore did indeed get his license without any problems, and while they were in London, Snape picked up a cake--an elaborate confection of strawberries and cream--to celebrate.

"I think you'll use any excuse to indulge your sweet-tooth, Severus," Lupin teased. "But seriously, we're both very proud of you, Theo."

"Thank you, Remus," Theodore said, beaming at him, and Lupin smiled, suddenly feeling very happy. Both Theodore and Dylan had finally grown comfortable enough to call him by his first name without prefacing it with "Prof...um..." And Theodore had changed dramatically from the sullen, gloomy boy he had been in school. He was still a little shy and skittish, like a stray dog that had been kicked too many times to be sure of its welcome, but every day he was growing a little more secure, a little more content in his new home.

"By the way, Severus," Lupin said that night over dessert, "I was talking to Branwen..."

"Oh yes, that's right," Snape said. "The wedding is coming up soon."

"We're all invited," Lupin informed the boys with a smile. "Draco and Narcissa will be there, too, and of course, Harry, which is what I wanted to talk to you about, Severus." He smiled at his lover sweetly.

"What about Potter?" Snape asked, suddenly made suspicious by the too-innocent look on Lupin's face.

"Well, of course Sirius and Branwen will be going on their honeymoon after the wedding, which means that Harry will need someone to look after him..."

"He's seventeen years old, Lupin!" Snape said sharply. "He doesn't exactly need a baby-sitter."

Lupin raised his eyebrows. "Would you leave any teenage boy alone in a house for two weeks without supervision? Particularly a Gryffindor? Harry's a good boy, and I'm sure he wouldn't intentionally get into trouble, but trouble does seem to have a way of finding him."

"Well, when you put it that way..." Snape muttered reluctantly. "But surely you're not suggesting that--"

"Branwen's asked us to look after Harry while they're gone," Lupin interrupted.

Snape scowled fiercely. "You've got to be kidding! Why can't he stay with the Weasleys?"

"Molly's very busy preparing for both Branwen's and Percy's weddings," Lupin said calmly. "Branwen didn't want to burden her further."

"This cottage is barely big enough for the four of us," Snape protested. "There's not enough room in the basement for a third bed." Snape sneered a little as his voice turned sarcastic. "Surely you're not proposing that the golden boy sleep on the couch."

"That was uncalled for, Severus!" Lupin snapped, and Theodore and Dylan began to look a little worried. "Not so many years ago, Harry was accustomed to sleeping in a cupboard under the stairs!" Snape looked a little shamefaced, and Lupin's expression and voice softened. "He's not James, Severus. He's never asked for any special privileges or luxuries, although I do admit that sometimes people have given them to him unasked because he is the Boy Who Lived. But that kind of attention makes him more uncomfortable than anything else. He doesn't revel in adulation as his father did at that age."

Snape sighed wearily and said apologetically, "I know, I know. But it still seems like it would be a bit cramped here..."

"That's why Branwen has asked us to come and stay at Grimmauld Place with Harry while they're gone," Lupin said brightly.

"Absolutely not!" Snape snapped.

"Oh, come on, Sev," Lupin wheedled. "It's no different than how we spent last summer, and this is just for a couple of weeks."

Theodore looked confused. "You lived in the Black mansion with Potter last summer?"

"Yes," Snape said through gritted teeth, "as part of my duty to the Order of the Phoenix, and it's not an experience that I care to repeat."

"It wasn't that bad," Lupin protested. "At least, I didn't hear you complaining that much at the time." He licked his lips and smiled at Snape lasciviously. "In fact, I recall numerous occasions when you were downright enthusiastic about being there..."

"LUPIN!" bellowed Snape, his face turning bright red.

Lupin grinned unrepentantly. "It'll be just like old times, Sev! Ron, Ginny, and Hermione will be coming over, too."

"What?! Why do we have to watch the other three brats?!"

"Harry could use the company, and things are a bit hectic at the Weasley household. It'll mean two less children underfoot there, and I'm sure Ron and Ginny wouldn't mind a break from the wedding preparations--you know how Molly gets when she's stressed. And I promised to give Hermione Japanese lessons, but it's hard for her to visit us here, since her home isn't connected to the Floo Network, and her birthday isn't till September, so she doesn't have her Apparition license yet."

"I don't care, Lupin! The answer is 'no' and there is nothing you can say to make me change my mind!"
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Thank you for coming, Remus, Severus," Branwen said, giving them each a kiss on the cheek. "I really appreciate it. Your old rooms upstairs are still untouched, and the boys can take Fred and George's old room. I'm going to go ahead to Blackmore Manor; Sirius and Harry are already there. You can join us after you get settled in."

As they headed upstairs carrying their suitcases, Snape grumbled, "How on earth did I let the werewolf talk me into this?"

"Well, first he started making doe-eyes at you," Dylan replied helpfully. "And then he put his arms around you and started saying, 'Oh, pretty please, Sev, do it for me'--"

"That was a rhetorical question, Mr. Rosier," Snape snarled, giving him a look that made Theodore blanch.

Dylan, however, simply shrugged and said, "Sorry, Professor."

Snape growled deep in his throat and stomped up the stairs, which woke the portrait of Mrs. Black, who began shouting, "Begone from the house of my fathers!"

Dylan and Theodore jumped, but Snape just leaned over the bannister and shouted, "Oh, shut up, you old hag!"

"Temper, temper, Severus," Lupin laughed.

"Oh, shut up, Lupin! This is all your fault, anyway!"

"Um...who is that?" Dylan wanted to know.

"Black's mother," Snape replied curtly. "As you can tell, she's even more charming than her son. I swear, one of these days, I'm going to blast that portrait into smithereens!"

"Sirius would thank you for it," Lupin said with a smile.

"I know; that's the only thing that stops me from doing it," Snape replied.

"Here's your room," Lupin said to Theodore and Dylan. "Severus and I will be right down the hall." They left the boys to get settled in, then headed to their own room--well, two adjoining rooms, actually, although there was no longer any need to keep up the pretense that they were living in separate rooms. In the middle of unpacking, Lupin suddenly slipped his arms around Snape's waist.

"Thank you for indulging me, Severus," Lupin said tenderly. "I know that you and Harry don't really get along, but it means a lot to me."

"Hmmph," Snape snorted, trying to maintain his grumpy demeanor. "It's not like you gave me much choice." But Lupin just smiled, and it was difficult to stay mad at him when he looked so beautiful. He was wearing forest-green dress robes, and his long hair was tied back in a neat tail with a length of matching green velvet ribbon; Snape felt a sudden urge to pull that ribbon free and let Lupin's hair fall down loose around around his shoulders, and then run his fingers through that silky hair.

"I promise I'll make it up to you, Sev," Lupin said with a mischievous grin, "with lots of wild, passionate sex."

"I'll hold you to that, Remy," Snape said, all his irritation suddenly gone, and he pulled Lupin close and kissed him. He had just reached up to grasp the end of the ribbon when there was a knock at the door.

Snape cursed, and Lupin laughed. He kissed the tip of Snape's nose, whispered, "We'll continue this later," then stepped back and called out, "Come in!"

Dylan and Theodore walked in; they were also wearing dress robes for the wedding: Dylan's were silver-gray and Theodore's were the dark green, nearly black robes he had worn to the Yule Ball. Snape, of course, was wearing black as always. "We're all unpacked," Dylan said cheerfully.

"That was quick," Snape muttered, sounding a bit disgruntled.

"We're not interrupting anything are we?" Dylan asked innocently.

"Of course not!" Snape snapped, and Lupin winked at the boys behind his back. "Let's go!"

Snape and Lupin Apparated the boys over to Blackmore Manor. Dylan wasn't legally allowed to Apparate yet, of course, and Snape didn't want Theodore to risk Apparating that far to a location he wasn't familiar with. And Lupin didn't want to use the Floo Network because "we don't want to get ashes on our wedding finery, now do we?"

They emerged in the living room of Blackmore Manor; Sirius and Harry were there to greet them.

"Hey Moony, looking pretty stylish!" Sirius said with a grin.

Lupin laughed and gave Sirius a hug. "Of course! I am the best man, after all; I can't show up in rags!" He pulled back a little to give his friend a closer look. "You're looking pretty good, yourself, Padfoot!" And indeed, Sirius looked resplendent in his black velvet robes. Harry was dressed in green robes similar to Lupin's.

Sirius tugged a little at the high collar of his robe. "Thanks. I wish this thing was a bit more comfortable, though."

"You don't fool me; I bet you were preening all morning in front of the mirror, you peacock!" Lupin teased. "But seriously, how are you doing, Padfoot? Any last minute jitters?"

"Not really," Sirius said, still grinning. "The only thing I'm nervous about is that the bride might come to her senses and change her mind!"

"You won't get out of this that easily!" Lupin joked. "Once Branwen makes up her mind about something, she rarely changes it. And how are you holding up, Harry?"

"Okay," Harry replied. "But I'm glad that Mrs. Weasley and Professor Blackmore won't be fighting about wedding plans anymore!" Lupin and Sirius both laughed, and even Snape smiled a little. "Um...thanks for coming to stay with me while Sirius is gone, Professor," Harry said to Lupin, but his eyes looked nervous as they flicked over in Snape's direction for a moment.

"It's my pleasure, Harry," Lupin said cheerfully. "It'll be fun; just like old times."

"Now where have I heard that before?" Snape muttered under his breath sourly.

"Is there anything we can do to help, Sirius?" Lupin asked.

"Well, let's see...Hob has the food under control," Sirius replied. "He's been cooking up a storm this whole week and keeping it fresh with a preserving spell. Albus offered to have some of the Hogwarts house-elves help out, but Hob seemed to regard it as an insult; he said he was more than capable of handling it by himself." Sirius grinned. "He's been trying to get me married off ever since he started working for me, so he's just thrilled about the wedding."

Lupin smiled. "A hob isn't really happy unless it has a family to look after, and suddenly he's acquired a ready-made family: you, Branwen, and Harry."

Sirius nodded, putting an arm around his godson, who smiled happily, with a look of awe on his face, as if he couldn't quite believe his good fortune. Lupin recognized that expression, because he frequently saw it on Theodore's face; it made him feel sad, tender, and protective all at once. He wondered if Harry would ever realize how much he had in common with the Slytherins--and vice versa, of course. Well, they were slowly getting to know each other, if somewhat grudgingly, at his own and Branwen's urging, and perhaps the two weeks they were going to spend together would help them all become friends with each other. Well, Gryffindors and Slytherins tended to be incredibly stubborn, but one could always hope...

"Tonks is upstairs helping Branwen get dressed," Sirius continued. "And we've already set up the chairs and tables outside. Molly should be here any minute with the decorations; she might need some help--"

As if on cue, Molly burst into the room, looking very irate. She was followed by Arthur, Ron, Ginny, the twins, and Hermione, all loaded down with bags and baskets filled with greenery, white roses, and green ribbons and streamers. "BRANWEN BLACKMORE!" she shouted.

"Now, now, my dear," Arthur said soothingly. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation..."

"What's wrong, Molly?" Lupin asked.

Molly ignored him and walked up to Sirius; Harry found himself taking a step back. "Did you know about this, Sirius?!"

"Know about what?" a puzzled and nervous Sirius asked.

Just then, Branwen entered the room, followed by Tonks. "What's all the fuss about?" she asked.

Molly's look of anger changed to shock as she saw what Branwen was wearing: a long-sleeved, floor-length gown of black lace with a bit of gold trim around the bodice, cuffs, and hem. "Don't tell me that's your wedding gown!" she exclaimed.

"It's a family heirloom," Branwen said serenely. "Generations of Blackmore women have worn it to their weddings."

"You look like you're going to a funeral, not a wedding!"

Branwen shrugged. "Well, we do have a reputation as Dark Wizards to uphold, after all..."

Sirius stared at her admiringly. "It's a bit...different...but very striking. You look beautiful, Branwen."

"You look quite handsome yourself, my dear," she replied, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Sirius!" Tonks protested. "You're not supposed to see the bride before the wedding!" Then she grinned and said, "Oh well...it's not exactly a conventional wedding, is it?"

Molly looked at Tonks and did a double-take. "Tonks!"

"What?"

"Your hair!"

Tonks was wearing green, since that was the color scheme that had been agreed upon, and Branwen had asked her to be a bridesmaid. But her robes weren't the only thing that was green: "Do you like it?" Tonks asked cheerfully, pointing to her spiky green hair. "I did it special for the wedding!" Molly sighed and shook her head. "Well, you did suggest that I not have violet hair for the ceremony," Tonks reminded her.

"I didn't mean that you should change it to green!" retorted Molly. "Oh, never mind that now!" She turned back to Branwen. "If you didn't want me to do the decorations, you should have just said so! The children and I worked very hard to get everything ready, and for you to just change your mind at the last minute is--"

"What are you talking about?" Branwen interrupted, and Bane cawed in a threatening tone.

"Are you saying that you don't know anything about those flowers outside?" Molly asked suspiciously.

"What flowers?" Branwen asked, looking genuinely puzzled.

Now Molly looked confused. "But if you didn't...then who did...?"

"Why don't you come outside and take a look?" Hermione suggested practically.

So they all trooped outside and gasped in shock at what they saw. There were flowers everywhere: on the tables, woven into the arched trellis beneath which Sirius and Branwen were to say their vows, and even scattered in a random yet artful manner all over the ground. But that was not what had made them gasp; the flowers were all black, orchids and roses, except for a few white lilies scattered here and there, as if for variety. The air was filled with a sweet, heady, almost intoxicating perfume.

Snape bent down to examine the flowers more closely. The black flowers had an iridescent sheen to them, as if black opals had somehow been transformed into velvety petals, and the white lilies were not simply white, but were translucently pale and faintly glowing; if the black flowers resembled opals, the lilies were more like moonstones.

"They're beautiful," Hermione said. "I've never seen flowers like these before."

"These aren't from you, are they, Dylan?" Sirius asked. "I've never heard of black flowers growing anywhere but on the Rosier estate."

"No, sir," Dylan replied. "I haven't been to the estate since before my mother's funeral; you can ask Professor Snape. And besides, the only flowers on the estate are roses."

"These aren't from the Rosier estate," Snape declared. "Even the roses are slightly different; the roses from the estate don't have the iridescence that these do. And there are no orchids or lilies on the estate."

"But then where did they come from?" Molly asked.

Branwen's eyes filled with tears and she smiled as she scooped up a bouquet and lifted it to her face, breathing in the sweet scent. "I remember seeing flowers like these before in my grandfather's garden," she said softly.

Molly looked puzzled, then turned pale as Sirius said, "Grandfather...oh! You mean THAT grandfather!" Sirius suddenly turned pale as well, and Snape's eyes narrowed as Lupin's widened in awe.

"Thank you, Grandfather," Branwen whispered, still looking down at the flowers, and Bane cawed softly, rubbing his head against her cheek.

The children had no idea what was going on, and none of the adults seemed inclined to enlighten them. "These flowers are from her grandfather?" Harry asked. "I thought Professor Blackmore said that her family were all dead."

"She is the last of the Blackmore line, but she has some living relatives on her mother's side," Dylan said thoughtfully. "But I've never heard of the Byrnes growing flowers like these. Of course, we didn't have much contact with the other pureblood families out on Uncle Math's estate--"

"I don't think she's talking about her maternal grandfather," Theodore hissed, casting a nervous glance at the adults, who were still ignoring them. "Nor her paternal grandfather. I think she's talking about her great-great-great-to-the-umpteenth-power-grandfather."

"How can a dead person send her flowers?" Harry asked incredulously.

"How thick can you be, Potter?" Theodore retorted in a hushed voice. "You know about her family's reputation, and you saw the portrait in the library! The one of her ancestor Lord Raven, whose real name was Araqiel--which, by the way, just happens to be the name of a powerful Demon Lord."

"Not this again!" Harry protested. "Draco tried to convince me that she's a demon, too; said something about Bane having a Dark aura. But she can't be; that's ridiculous! Why would a demon fight against the Death Eaters?"

"Because they killed her parents," Theodore replied. "And besides, her demon blood would have been watered down over the centuries through intermarriage with humans."

"Assuming that her ancestor Lord Raven really was a demon," Dylan added.

"I still think you're all nuts," Harry said, but he sounded a little uncertain, and Ron had turned white with fear.

Ginny looked skeptical. "I know she's scary, but that doesn't make her a demon. Everyone in the wizarding world was terrified of You-Know-Who, and he wasn't a demon. A powerful, evil Dark Wizard, but not a demon."

"Flowers like that don't grow anywhere in the wizarding world, or the Muggle world for that matter!" Theodore insisted. "They're not normal!"

"I've seen plenty of things that aren't normal since I first came to Hogwarts," Hermione said reasonably. "Giants, a Hippogriff, a Basilisk..."

"That's because you're a Mud--" Theodore stopped himself just in time as Dylan glared at him. "Ahem. Because you're Muggle-born. Giants and Hippogriffs, and even Basilisks, are not unheard of in the wizarding world."

"But the Rosier estate has black roses," Hermione pointed out. "Sirius and Professor Snape just said so. I know black flowers aren't normally found in nature, but surely it would be easy to change the color of a flower with magic."

"Yes, the Rosier estate has black roses," Theodore conceded, "but there are rumors about Dylan's family, too, you know. People claim that the ancestors of the Rosier clan had dealings with demons, and that the roses were a gift from one of those demons."

"People in the wizarding world sure like to gossip a lot," Hermione said dryly. "You can't believe every rumor you hear. Look at all the nasty things Rita Skeeter used to print in the Daily Prophet about Harry; none of them were true, but a lot of people believed them."

"And it's not that easy to change the color of a flower," Theodore continued, although Hermione's words made him wonder for a moment why Skeeter had suddenly stopped printing those lies. But he shrugged it off, still preoccupied with the argument over the possible demonic origins of both the flowers and Professor Blackmore. "I mean, it's easy enough to change the color on the surface with an illusion. You can even change the color permanently, although that's harder. But they don't breed true; you could enchant a garden full of red roses and make them black, but the next generation of flowers would be normal red roses. The other pureblood families admired the Rosiers' black roses because they were so rare; no one's ever been able to duplicate them successfully. Ask Professor Sprout if you don't believe me."

"Hmm," Hermione said thoughtfully, a little annoyed at being presented with a piece of knowledge that she hadn't been aware of, but also eager to learn more about it. "That's interesting", she said. "So magic can't alter the flowers at the genetic level."

"Not reliably," Theodore replied. "People have tried, but the results usually turn out a little wonky. The experiments with animals have turned out even worse."

Hermione looked outraged for a moment at the thought of someone "experimenting" on a helpless animal, but then she smiled and said, "You know a lot about Herbology, Theodore."

"Uh...not really," Theodore said, looking a little startled and embarrassed at being complimented by the Gryffindor girl. "My mother used to gossip a lot with the other Death Eater wives. One of the things they used to gossip about was the black roses. It annoyed Narcissa a little that she couldn't obtain any for the Malfoy estate."

"Mrs. Malfoy doesn't look like the type to be interested in gardening," Ron said dubiously.

"It's a status thing, you dolt!" Theodore said rolling his eyes.

"Now see here, Nott--" Ron said hotly.

"Take it easy, Ron," Hermione said in a placating tone. "I think he means that Mrs. Malfoy didn't want them because she was interested in gardening; she wanted them because they were something rare and valuable. And it probably bothered her that she couldn't get them, even though the Malfoys are--or were--one of the most powerful families in the wizarding world." Theodore nodded, and she gave him a reproving look. "But you don't have to be rude about it."

Dylan elbowed him in the side, and Theodore grudgingly said, "Sorry."

Harry was surprised to hear even that much of an apology from the Slytherin boy, although Ron didn't seem to appreciate it. "Whatever," Ron said with a shrug.

"Ron isn't a dolt," Ginny said calmly. "Well, at least not most of the time..."

"Hey!" Ron said indignantly.

"He just doesn't think the same way you do," Ginny continued. "Our family doesn't play politics."

"Yet your father somehow wound up becoming the Minister of Magic," Theodore said.

Ginny grinned. "No one was more surprised than Dad!"

"Maybe it's because he didn't play politics that he became Minister," Dylan reasoned. "Everyone in the Ministry must have been pushing his or her own pet candidate, and then Dumbledore brings in a hero of the war, who isn't allied or beholden to anyone. It would be a good compromise, if you couldn't get your own candidate elected. He might not favor you in particular, but he wouldn't favor your rivals, either."

Harry was both impressed and a little taken aback by what seemed to him to be a rather convoluted line of reasoning. "Do you Slytherins really spend all your time thinking about status and how to get ahead or keep other people from getting ahead?"

"You won't survive in Slytherin House if you aren't constantly aware of what your allies and enemies are doing," Dylan explained matter-of-factly. "Especially when an ally can become an enemy when you aren't looking."

"That sounds a little scary," Hermione said gravely. "Not to mention exhausting--to always have to be looking over your shoulder, I mean."

"It's been better since the Dark Lord was defeated," Dylan said with a smile. "But I don't think we'll ever be as...ah...straightforward as you Gryffindors."

"Well, it would be boring if everyone was the same, wouldn't it?" Hermione laughed.

Meanwhile, Molly said nervously, "Is it safe to leave the flowers lying about like this?"

"They're just flowers, Molly," Branwen said patiently. "They're not going to come to life and start attacking the guests."

Snape picked up an orchid and gave it a speculative look. "I wonder if they have any unusual properties that might be useful in a potion?"

"The lilies can be used to brew a potion similar to the Draught of Living Death," Branwen replied. "The roses and the orchids have narcotic properties, when properly distilled." She smiled a little. "They can be used in aphrodisiacs, or so I was told."

"Hmm," Snape said thoughtfully.

"I don't think we need any help in that department, Branwen," Lupin laughed, laying his head on Snape's shoulder.

"Oh, cut that out, Lupin!" Snape snapped. Then he muttered under his breath, "If you're like this now, I'd hate to see what you'd be like under the influence of an aphrodisiac. I'd probably die of exhaustion!"

"I don't think you should be experimenting with these flowers, Severus!" Molly said, sounding alarmed.

"When else will I get to experiment with..." Snape hesitated, looking over at the children, who seemed to be getting into a heated debate about something. "...Er, with such unusual plants."

"You may take as many samples as you like after the wedding is over," Branwen told him, much to Molly's displeasure.

"What about my decorations?" Molly asked, sounding almost sulky.

"I'm sorry, Molly," Branwen said with a smile. "I honestly didn't expect to get such a gift from my...grandfather. Perhaps we can combine them somehow?"

Molly grumbled a little under her breath, but the simple white and green decorations didn't clash with the black flowers, and she managed to work them all together into pleasing arrangements with some help from the children. "I still think it looks more like a funeral than a wedding," she complained.

"Well, the Blackmores have often been accused of being Dark Wizards," Lupin laughed. "And it is appropriate, in a way: black flowers for a union between the Black and Blackmore families!"

Sirius pulled Branwen to one side and whispered, "I thought demons couldn't cross over into our world without an invitation."

"Araqiel--or any other demon--cannot cross over into this world without being Summoned," Branwen replied, just as quietly. "But he is a Demon Prince, and his powers are great. If he expends enough energy, he can send messages, or even physical items across the veil that separates our two worlds. Do you not recall how I told you that he sent nightmares to the Death Eater who murdered my parents, and drove him insane, or how he sent Bane to become my familiar after my parents died?"

Sirius stared at the black flowers and said in a shaky voice, "Quite an impressive wedding gift!" Suddenly he remembered what Snape had told him just after he'd announced their engagement: "Don't forget that she has a vengeful Demon Prince for a grandfather who will take it most amiss if you make his favorite little granddaughter cry." Sirius looked around nervously and said, "I hope this means that your grandpa approves of our marriage." He slipped his arms around Branwen and said, "Tell him I'm taking good care of his granddaughter, okay?" Branwen just laughed and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm serious, Branwen!"

 

Part 22