Aftermaths, Part 38

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 showed them around the house, including his own room, which he said had not changed since he had left home at age eighteen. There was no dust in the room, though, which meant that Vorcher must have been cleaning it. Lupin said nothing, but he thought that it seemed strangely sterile and spartan for the room of a teenage boy: there were no posters on the walls, no photographs of friends or family on the desk or dresser. The books on the shelves were mainly scholarly titles, except for a couple of books on Quidditch. Snape seemed disinclined to linger, and they quickly moved on.

There were a number of extra bedrooms--guest rooms and rooms no longer in use, as the Snape family had shrank dramatically since the mansion had first been built hundreds of years ago. Snape also showed them his father's workroom, which clearly had not been used for a long time. He regarded the room with a small, sardonic smile on his face, perhaps remembering the time his father had punished him with a Cruciatus Curse for playing in the workroom without permission. They moved on to a large, empty room that could easily have held fifty people without feeling cramped.

"It looks like a ballroom," Lupin said.

Snape nodded, a sour look on his face. "Sometimes it functioned as one. This is the room my parents held parties and large gatherings in. But it hasn't been used in years, since my father began to lose his influence when Lucius Malfoy turned against him."

As they headed down a long corridor, Theodore looked around and said, "I haven't seen any family portraits, sir. Does your family not have any?"

"They are your family, too, now," Snape reminded him, "although I wouldn't blame you if you didn't wish to be associated with them. And yes, we do have family portraits, but they're all locked up in the attic. My father, as you may have noticed, has a bad temper--"

"It must run in the family," Lupin gently teased.

Snape smiled a little and continued, "--and he isn't inclined to follow anyone's advice but his own. After my father destroyed my Great-Great-Great Uncle Sylvester's portrait when it wouldn't shut up, my mother moved them all into the attic for safekeeping. They grumbled quite a bit until my mother told them that they could join Uncle Sylvester if they didn't like it. As far as I know, they're still up there gathering dust."

Lupin grinned. "Whatever else she might be, your mother is certainly a formidable woman, Severus. And you said that your father doesn't follow anyone's advice but his own, but it seems to me that he does follow Selima's advice. She did manage to persuade him to reinstate you as heir and accept Theodore, after all."

Snape looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. "That is true. Father does respect her, in his own way. Mother handles all the Snape financial and business dealings; she does come from a merchant clan, after all, so it is her area of expertise, and Father saw no reason not to make use of her skills. But she does this all quietly behind the scenes, always deferring to my father in public, as a proper pureblood wife should."

Lupin sighed and shook his head. "Pureblood etiquette is so complicated."

Snape suddenly grinned. "I once overheard my mother telling Vanessa Malfoy--Lucius's mother--that it's easy enough to make your husband do what you want, you just have to convince him that it was his idea to begin with."

Lupin laughed. "I will have to remember that!"

Snape scowled and said, "I think my mother is a bad influence on you, Lupin."

The next room he led them to was glassed in on three sides, looking out onto a well-manicured lawn and flower beds. The sun was just beginning to set, spilling orange light through the glass walls.

Lupin exclaimed, "What a magnificent view!"

"Indeed it is," Snape said, but he was not looking out into the garden, but rather at his lover, who was standing in a pool of sunlight that cast a flame-colored glow over his hair and face. Snape thought he looked absolutely beautiful.

It took Lupin a few moments to realize that Snape was looking at him, not the view, but he smiled tenderly when he did, and came over and kissed Snape on the cheek.

"Oh, cut that out, Lupin," Snape said almost affectionately.

Lupin ignored him, resting his head on Snape's shoulder, and the boys grinned. "It's a lovely room, Severus."

"It was built as a sunroom for the lady of the Snape house, many generations ago," Snape said. "My mother and her friends used to drink tea and gossip here."

Lupin kissed Snape again. "Do we have to worry about scandalizing the neighbors?" he asked.

"They'll be scandalized soon enough," Snape said, unconcerned, "as soon as the news of my reinstatement as heir and my adoption of Theodore becomes public. Besides, the estate is located out in the country, and there aren't any neighbors close enough to be peering through the windows."

"Good," Lupin said, kissing him once more.

They were still in the sunroom when Vorcher came to tell them that dinner was ready, all four of them sitting together in companionable silence on the couch. Lupin was snuggled up against Snape, his head resting on Snape's shoulder.

Vorcher's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw that. He gave the pair a disapproving look and said, "Dinner is ready, Master Severus," then ran off before Snape could punish him for his brief moment of boldness.

"I believe we have scandalized Vorcher, my dear," Lupin said with a grin.

"Along with half of the wizarding world," Snape said, grinning back at him.

"Only half?" Lupin laughed. "I'm disappointed!"

"You're incorrigible, Lupin," Snape scolded, but he kept grinning. "Come on, let's go to dinner. The sooner it's over, the sooner we can get back to Hogwarts."

They sat at one end of a long table in the dining room, and even if Selima held at least one of her guests in contempt, she had still brought out the good china, crystal, and silverware. Lupin tapped the crystal goblet set before him with one finger, and a clear, pure, bell-like note rang out.

Selima frowned disapprovingly and said, "Can't you teach your...friend...some table manners, Severus?"

"Mother," Snape said in a tone of warning, but Lupin just smiled.

"I beg your pardon, Lady Selima," Lupin said cheerfully, which only served to irritate her further. Snape repressed a smile, remembering how much it used to annoy him when Lupin returned all of his taunts and insults with a polite response and a sunny smile.

Vorcher had managed to put together a delicious-smelling meal of roast chicken despite the short notice. He served them all, filling their plates with food and pouring wine into the crystal goblets--all five of them.

"Er...the boys are still underage," Lupin said.

"It's a special occasion and I don't think a single glass of wine will hurt them," Selima replied, then glanced at Snape. "But if you prefer, Vorcher can serve them water or cider."

Snape shrugged; Slytherins were not known for following the rules, and he thought it was highly unlikely that Dylan and Theodore had not tasted alcohol before at some private party or illicit gathering, or even in their own homes. "It's fine with me, so long as you don't report me to the Headmaster," he told the boys.

They grinned at him. "Yes, sir," Theodore said. "I mean, no, sir."

Vorcher bowed to Selima and said, "Vorcher will take some soup up to the Master."

Selima nodded. "He'll still be groggy from the medicine, but try to see that he finishes at least half of it. I'll come up and check on him after dinner."

"Yes, Mistress."

As the house-elf turned to leave, Lupin said, "Thank you for dinner, Vorcher. It looks and smells delicious."

Vorcher gave Lupin an uncertain look, not seeming to know how he should respond: Lupin was a werewolf, and the Mistress clearly despised him, but on the other hand, he was also a guest invited to dinner by the Mistress.

Selima seemed to understand what he was thinking. "Professor Lupin is a guest in this house, and you will treat him as such," she said, although she didn't look very happy about it, and glared at both her son and the werewolf.

Vorcher seemed even more confused than before, but he bowed to Lupin and said, "Thank you, Master Lupin. Vorcher hopes the meal is satisfactory." Then he left the room, looking greatly relieved to be doing so.

"Severin can't keep much down besides soup," Selima explained to Snape. "He has no appetite and he says it hurts to swallow."

"Perhaps the potion will help," Snape said, looking uncomfortable.

"I hope so," Selima said, then changed the subject. She raised her glass of wine and said, "A toast, then, to the new Snape heir, and the continuance of the Snape line."

Lupin smiled warmly, raised his own glass, and said, "To the Snape heir."

Dylan grinned at Theodore, who smiled shyly, still looking as though he didn't quite believe this was all real, and Snape's sour expression softened slightly. "To the Snape heir," Snape echoed, and they all raised their glasses and took a sip of wine. An excellent vintage, of course; Selima Snape would never serve anything less at her table.

"Even though," Selima added with a pointed look at her son, "you did not beget him in the usual manner." Snape glared at her.

"He was begotten in the usual manner," Lupin said sweetly. "Just not by Severus." Selima glared at Lupin, then transferred her gaze to Snape when he laughed and tried to disguise it as a cough. Lupin smiled innocently and said in a placating tone, "But however he was begotten, he is here, and the Snape line will continue. That is the main thing, is it not?"

Selima sniffed disdainfully, but did not otherwise respond. Perhaps, Snape thought, she had figured out that arguing with the werewolf was a losing proposition. Instead, she began asking the boys questions about their classes. They told her about the potions they were making in Snape's class and about their assignments in their various other classes, although they carefully avoided mentioning their Physical Defense classes, no doubt knowing that Selima would not approve. The conversation was slightly stilted on both sides, but at least it was civil. Lupin sipped his wine and smiled indulgently, looking insufferably smug.

Snape suddenly had an idea; if anyone would know about pureblood gossip and history, it would be his mother. Perhaps she could help him divine Lukas Bleddri's origins.

"Mother," he said slowly, "do you know of any boys from high-ranking pureblood families who supposedly died or disappeared many years ago?"

"Supposedly?" Selima asked, raising her eyebrows.

Snape smiled sardonically. "Rumors of his death may have been exaggerated. The person I'm thinking of would be about my age now if he had lived."

"Severus," Lupin said in the stern tone of warning he rarely used; Snape and Selima ignored him.

"It would help if you could be a little more specific, Severus," Selima said tartly. "How long ago did this person disappear? Do you have any idea what family he is from? And what name is he going by now?"

Snape hesitated. It would probably be better not to give her Lukas Bleddri's name; for one thing, Bleddri would probably kill him. For another, if she gossiped about it with her friends and word got around that a long-lost heir to an important family had turned up, it would cause no end of trouble, for both Snape and Bleddri. Once he got the information, he would decide what, if anything, to do with it. "I can't tell you his name," Snape said evasively. "Besides, since it's obviously an alias, it would not be much help. I don't know when he disappeared or what family he's from--"

"Oh, that's very helpful," Selima said sarcastically.

"Severus," Lupin said.

"But he probably vanished when he was in his teens, though it could be earlier." Snape figured that the werewolf probably had to have been practicing fencing at least into his teen years to have gotten as good at it as he had, although he could have been some kind of child prodigy. "He never went to Hogwarts; he may have been suffering from some kind of illness that kept him homebound. And it's possible that his family was Welsh, or at least spent enough time in Wales to pick up some of the language."

"Hmm," Selima said thoughtfully.

"Severus, I--" Lupin started to say.

"Shh!" Selima interrupted. "Be silent; let me think. Let's see...Rafe Dietrich vanished several years ago, but he went to Hogwarts, and he wasn't a child at the time..."

Theodore winced, and Snape said sharply, "It's not Rafe."

"Well, the Crouches had a baby before Barty Junior that died in infancy. I don't think they ever spent any time in Wales, though I can't be absolutely sure. The Riggs didn't live in Wales, but a branch of their chain of supply stores was located there, and they did spend some time there in the summers, I believe. The whole family fled England after Nigel was exposed as a Death Eater; rumor has it that they moved to the United States. Nigel did have a younger brother who was a few years younger than you, Severus, and he was being educated abroad at Beauxbatons, because his family was hoping to expand their business into France. The entire McKinnon family was killed during the first war, as was Edgar Bones' family. The McKinnons had a son about your age, but the Bones's son was too young to be your mystery person. Let's see...Cynric Diggory and his son were killed in a carriage accident twenty-five years ago. The boy would have been about your age if he had lived."

"Diggory?!" Snape exclaimed.

Selima nodded. "Amos Diggory's older brother."

"I didn't know that he had a brother," Lupin said, looking startled and worried.

"There was talk, you know," Selima said, her eyes narrowing, "that it wasn't really an accident. Cynric was a Slytherin; it scandalized his family, who had a tradition of being Hufflepuffs. And he took a Slytherin wife, Anya Gravenor--who, come to think of it, was Welsh."

"Gravenor!" Snape said. "Was she related to Anwir?"

"His sister," Selima replied. "Though she died before he was revealed to have been a Death Eater. She died a few years after her husband did; pined away with grief, they say. But getting back to Cynric...he and Amos didn't get along, and his son was sickly--hmm, the Diggorys were holding him back from entering Hogwarts until his health improved, but then the so-called accident occurred. It was whispered at the time that either Amos or his parents had Cynric and his heir eliminated so that a more suitable heir could take charge of the Diggory family..."

"That's horrible if it's true!" Lupin cried out. "And a horrible thing to say if it's not!" Dylan and Theodore were staring at Snape and Selima, eyes round and wide with morbid fascination.

"Is there any truth to this rumor?" Snape asked calmly.

Selima shrugged. "The Ministry ruled it an accident, and Cynric shouldn't have been out flying on a stormy night, but he was very stubborn and sometimes reckless. Still, those carriages are built to be sturdy, and some people claimed that it must have been tampered with." As Lupin opened his mouth to speak again, she added, "Whispered rumors, nothing more. On one hand, it's plausible, but on the other hand, it's difficult to picture a Hufflepuff being so ruthless."

"I can't believe that someone could have killed their own son and grandson, or brother and nephew!" Lupin said, but he still looked troubled.

"Do you want to tell me what this is all about, Severus?" Selima asked, giving her son a penetrating stare.

"Not yet, Mother," Snape replied.

"Anya was my friend, Severus," Selima said, not taking her eyes from his face. "If you know something about her husband's death, and if your nameless friend is the rightful heir to the Diggory estate--"

"It's all speculation at this point, Mother," Snape said firmly. "If I learn anything definite, I'll share it with you." {Maybe,} he added silently.

"If this person is the Diggory heir, the only reason for him to hide his identity is that he fears for his life," Selima said sharply. "Which would mean that Cynric really was murdered and that whoever killed him is indirectly responsible for Anya's death as well!"

There were other reasons why the Diggory heir might wish to hide his identity--being a werewolf, for example--but Snape couldn't mention that without exposing Bleddri's identity. Lupin shot him a look that said, "Now see what you've stirred up?!" Aloud, Lupin said, "Enough! This is nothing but gossip and speculation! As teachers of Hogwarts, as a Lady of a family of distinction, we should all be above this sort of thing!"

Selima looked amused. "You know nothing about pureblood society, Professor Lupin, if you do not know that our favorite pastime is gossiping about one another."

"I don't care!" Lupin snapped. "I've heard enough! And Severus, your 'friend' wouldn't thank you for stirring up gossip about him!"

"You can't come here and ask me all these questions and then not tell me what this is all about!" Selima complained.

"I'm sorry, Lady Selima," Lupin said politely but in a tone that brooked no argument. "Severus shouldn't have brought it up in the first place." He shot another glare Snape's way.

"It's probably nothing but gossip and outright invention, Mother," Snape said in a soothing tone.

"But if you do find evidence of murder--" Selima said.

"I will certainly bring it to the attention of the authorities," Snape finished smoothly.

"Who ignored it the last time!" Selima snapped.

"Arthur Weasley won't ignore it," Snape said. "He's a typical Gryffindor: insufferably honorable."

Selima didn't look satisfied with that, and Lupin hastily said, "Oh my, look at the time! We really should be getting back to school!"

"Yes, I do have to brew the potion for Father," Snape agreed.

"What a dutiful son you have become," Selima said sarcastically.

"Thank you very much for dinner, Lady Selima," Lupin said politely. "It was delicious."

"Thank you, Lady Selima," Dylan echoed, with a courtly little bow.

"A charmer like your father, I see," Selima said with a wry little smile.

Dylan grinned and said, "Yes, ma'am!"

"Thank you, Lady Sel--" Theodore said, then broke off when he saw a flicker of disapproval in her eyes. "I mean, thank you, Gr...Grandmother."

"You're welcome," Selima said. "Bring him by again sometime, Severus. If he is to inherit the Snape estate, he should spend some time here and learn something about our history and the family holdings." Snape frowned and Selima sighed. "You may bring the other two as well," she added reluctantly.

"Thank you, Lady Selima," Lupin said in a bright, chirpy tone. "We'll be sure to do that." Both Selima and Snape glared at him.

The Professors and the boys departed, and Selima leaned back in her chair, frowning down at her glass of wine as she wondered who Severus's mysterious friend was. Someone who in his current identity had no claim to a pureblood title, someone no doubt disreputable, to be the friend of a werewolf and a former Death Eater...
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As soon as they were back in Snape's office, Dylan burst out, "Is Master Bleddri really the Diggory heir?!"

"Do you see what you've started, Severus?" Lupin asked irritably. "If word of this gets out, the entire school--no, everyone in the wizarding world will be gossiping about this!"

"My mother doesn't know that it's Bleddri we were talking about," Snape pointed out.

"Your mother's not stupid," Lupin said, still looking annoyed. "She knows that I'm a werewolf, and she might eventually figure out that we were talking about another werewolf--after all, werewolves are often disowned by their families, and are not usually allowed to enter Hogwarts. And if she reads the Daily Prophet, she'll know that Dumbledore recently hired another werewolf to teach here." Looking more worried now, Lupin said urgently, "If it's true that Cynric Diggory was murdered, Lukas could be in danger himself whether he's Cynric's son or not, if the murderers believe that he might expose them. And if it's not true, the Diggorys will probably blame him for the rumors even though he wasn't the one who spread them, and could possibly sue him for slander."

Snape sighed. "You're right, I probably shouldn't have brought it up. I'll talk to my mother, and try to persuade her not to say anything about it."

"Are you going to talk to Master Bleddri about it?" Dylan asked. "If he really has a claim to the Diggory estate--"

"A werewolf would never be allowed to inherit the estate!" Theodore interrupted, then gave Lupin an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Remus. I don't think it's right, but it's the truth."

"I don't think that Cedric ever held a grudge against you," Snape told Lupin, "but his parents were among those who wrote to tell the Headmaster that a werewolf should not be allowed to teach at Hogwarts."

"But legally, Master Bleddri has every right to inherit the title," Dylan insisted. "I mean, if he really is a Diggory. Because of the equal rights bill."

"That's right," Snape said, a look of sudden comprehension filling his face. "In the past, a werewolf could have been barred from inheriting the family title, but according to the bill that Weasley passed when he became Minister, werewolves hold the same rights as humans. They cannot be discriminated against. Bleddri really could inherit the title."

"IF he's Cynric Diggory's son," Lupin said. "And that's a pretty big 'if'. We don't even know that he's a pureblood."

"He is, I'm sure of it!" Snape said.

"Even if he is a pureblood, he might not be a Diggory," Lupin continued. "He could have belonged to one of those other families your mother mentioned, or even another family that she didn't. There were a great many people killed during the first war--men, women, children, entire families."

"It's possible, but it fits so well," Snape said. "Anya Gravenor was Welsh, and her family traditionally practices swordplay. Did you know that Bleddri knows how to use a sword?"

Lupin shook his head. "No, but even if Lukas is a Diggory, he knows about the equal rights bill and he hasn't tried to claim the title. If he wants to let the past be, who are we to interfere?"

"Well, should I say something to Bleddri about it or not?" Snape asked.

Lupin thought it over for a moment, then replied, "I'll talk to him. I think he might take it better coming from me. But from now on, stay out Lukas's private life, Severus!"

Snape nodded, with surprising meekness, then turned to Theodore and Dylan. "It's getting late. You should return to the dorm and finish your homework before bed. And not a word of this to anyone, understand? Not even to Mr. Pierce or Mr. Zabini."

"Yes, sir," they said obediently, and left.

 

Part 39