Aftermaths, Part 51

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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Elaine and Priscilla had made no further comments about Lupin, but it still rankled that people were laughing and sneering at the Snapes behind their backs because of the werewolf, and it rankled that she'd been forced to defend Lupin in order to defend her family.

After brooding for nearly an hour, Selima went down to the kitchen, where Vorcher was arranging sandwiches and pastries on plates. "Mistress!" he said, sounding startled. "Vorcher will have tea ready in a few minutes." He glanced at the clock to see if he was running late.

"I'll take over," Selima said abruptly. "Go find Professor Lupin and ask him if he will assist me in the kitchen."

"M-Mistress?" Vorcher stammered, staring at her in shock.

"I gave you an order," Selima snapped. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

"No, Mistress!" Vorcher cried, then immediately turned and ran out of the room.

He returned a few minutes later with Lupin, who smiled at Selima pleasantly and asked, "How may I help you, Lady Selima?"

For some reason, his politeness irritated her more than any rudeness would have, but all she said was, "Could you please arrange the petit fours on that plate?"

"Of course," Lupin replied.

"Vorcher, take that tray to the sunroom and wait for us there."

"Yes, Mistress," Vorcher said obediently. He picked up a large tray laden with teapot, cups and saucers, spoons, cream, sugar, and lemon slices, and hurried out of the kitchen.

They worked in silence for a couple of minutes, and Lupin did not ask why Selima needed his assistance in a task that could have been left to the house-elf. "Why?" she finally asked.

"Why what?" Lupin asked, his blue eyes guileless and innocent.

Selima thought he knew perfectly well what, but she answered his question anyway. "Why did you persuade Severus to return to this family and make Theodore his heir? I know that his pride and his temper would have caused him to walk away if you hadn't stopped him. It was you who convinced him to stay for the dinner the last time you were here, and I suspect it was you who convinced him to bring Theodore here today, since Severus clearly considers it a waste of time. Why are you helping me despite the fact that I have insulted you numerous times?"

Lupin set aside the plate of pastries and met her gaze, staring at her thoughtfully, but made no reply; he seemed to be searching for the right words to say. When he remained silent, Selima continued, "It can't be the money, because you rejected my offer to buy you off. I thought perhaps you wanted to secure a better inheritance and social position for Theodore, but now I'm not so sure. You don't seem to place much importance on such things, and the Nott inheritance would have allowed Theodore to live comfortably, if not as lavishly as the Snape inheritance would. You made it clear that you think Severin and I were bad parents, so why have you forced Severus to return home to a family he despises, to a world in which you will never be accepted and will always be regarded with scorn?"

"Well," Lupin said, smiling faintly, "you can be blunt when you wish, despite the pureblood tendency to dance around words, never saying what they really mean."

"I don't believe that I have ever refrained from speaking my mind to you, Professor Lupin," Selima replied coolly.

"No need to be polite to a werewolf, after all," Lupin said, but he sounded amused rather than offended.

"I adapt to the situation at hand," Selima told him. "If you were, say, a Malfoy, I would broach the subject more obliquely, but since you don't mince words, Professor, I see no reason to do so, either."

"It wasn't a criticism," Lupin said cheerfully. "I find it quite refreshing. The answer to your question is quite simple, Lady Selima, but I am not sure you will understand it."

"Don't condescend to me, Professor," Selima snapped.

"Love," Lupin said quietly, and Selima stared at him in confusion. "I love Severus, and I love Theodore, and I want them to be happy. Theo needed a home and a family--which is not necessarily the same thing as an inheritance. He doesn't need money or a title; he needs to feel loved and protected, and that is why I wanted Severus to adopt him. Which, incidentally, worked on your behalf because Severus is still enough of a pureblood to want to give Theo an inheritance of his own, since he would likely lose his claim to the Nott estate after he was adopted. Severus agreed to return to the family fold more for Theo's sake than his own."

Which explained Severus's continued reluctance to return to the Manor; he treated each visit as it were a torture session to be endured. Who would ever have thought that a Snape could be so self-sacrificing? Selima shook her head, then frowned. "You said that you want both Theodore and Severus to be happy..."

"You're right," Lupin said, smiling a little, although the expression on his face was still grave. "It's not only for Theo's sake that I urged a reconciliation. This long estrangement from his family has caused Severus pain, though he would never admit it. I would like Severus to make peace with his family--at least as much as is possible. I may be an idealistic Gryffindor, but I know that a fairy tale happy ending is rather unlikely in this situation." He paused, as if waiting for a reply, but Selima had none for him. She knew how to play Slytherin politics with the best of them, knew how to handle ambition and treachery, but had no idea how to deal with what appeared to be sincere, unselfish love and idealism. Lupin turned away and continued arranging the petit fours on the plate. "By the way," he said casually, "I really don't care if you insult me, Lady Selima; I'm used to it by now, you see. But it isn't really helping your case with Severus."

Selima felt her face flush with frustration and irritation; it was so unfair that she had to rely on the werewolf to make her son do his duty! Lupin gave her an almost sympathetic smile, irritating her further.

"You don't have to like me, Lady Selima," Lupin said. "But as we seem to be working towards the same goal--more or less--perhaps we should set aside our differences and call a truce?"

Lupin held out his hand, and Selima just stared at it for a moment, then very reluctantly reached out and shook it. "Very well, Professor." She gave him a hard look. "So long--" {And only so long,} she silently added. "--as we are working towards a common goal."

Lupin ignored the implied threat in her eyes and her voice. "Thank you, Lady Selima; I know this hasn't been easy for you," he said with apparent sincerity; she could detect no trace of mockery or sarcasm. "And please feel free to call me 'Remus'."

"I prefer 'Professor,'" Selima said coldly; she was only willing to go so far with this "truce".

"As you wish," Lupin said pleasantly; she almost wished that he would argue with her, despite their newly-declared truce, and wondered if he was aware of how much his politeness got on her nerves.

"Mother?" Severus asked, leaning through the doorway of the kitchen, looking around suspiciously.

"Severus," Selima said coolly, nodding at him in acknowledgment. "If you'll wait in the sunroom, tea will be ready in a minute."

Her son scowled at her, not moving from the doorway. "I was curious as to what you needed Lupin's help for. Doesn't Vorcher usually handle meal preparations?"

"It's all right, Severus," Lupin said sweetly. "I don't mind. Your mother and I were just having a nice little chat." Lupin gave him an innocent smile, and Severus turned his scowl on his lover.

Selima took some comfort in knowing that at least she wasn't the only one that Lupin took pleasure in annoying. "Everything's ready," Selima declared, stacking plates of sandwiches, scones, and the petit fours on tiered trays. "If the two of you would help me with the trays..."

"Of course," Lupin said instantly, smiling brightly as if nothing would please him more, picking up one set of trays, and Severus picked up the other, still scowling. He looked back and forth from his mother to his lover suspiciously as they headed to the sunroom, but Lupin appeared to be cheerfully oblivious.

Vorcher and the two boys were waiting for them there. The house-elf poured out tea for everyone, then discreetly drew back, far away enough not to intrude on their conversation, but close enough to respond quickly to a summons. Selima took a sip of tea, thinking to herself that Lucius Malfoy and Thaddeus Nott had been fools to brutalize their house-elves to the point where they were so frightened that they were barely able to function; a well-trained servant was worth its weight in gold. They had lost their servants in the end, and for what? To prove that they were strong enough to bully a house-elf around? There were far more subtle and effective ways to demonstrate one's power. Lucius, at least, should have known better, but it had secretly pleased Selima to see him suffer the humiliation of having everyone know that he had been tricked into freeing his house-elf by a teenage boy. She'd had little love for Lucius, who had ended her husband's career at the Ministry and--she had thought--stolen their son from them by convincing him to join the Death Eaters. She also suspected that Lucius had killed his own parents when he tired of waiting to inherit the Malfoy estate, and since Lucius's mother had been her friend, Selima had taken a great deal of satisfaction in hearing that he had literally been stabbed in the back by his own wife--one betrayal repaid with another. She never would have suspected that soft, spoiled little Narcissa would have had the gumption to do something like that, but good for her.

Thaddeus Nott had been a bully and a sadist, and Selima was pleased and relieved to see that Theodore did not seem to have inherited his biological father's faults. A little ruthlessness was a desirable trait among the pureblood elite, but there was such a thing as going overboard, particularly when a love for cruelty was combined with a lack of self-control, as in Thaddeus's case. But neither could a pureblood heir be weak, and Selima had worried a little that Theodore might turn out to be like Marta, cringing and cowardly. So she had secretly been pleased when the boy had shown some spirit by standing up to Severin the day the adoption was finalized, although of course she would never tell him that, not wanting to encourage insolence towards one's elders.

She was even more pleased to see that his initial reluctance at studying the family histories had changed to enthusiasm. "The histories really are interesting, Prof--" He caught sight of Selima's disapproving frown and hastily changed his words to, "I mean, Father." Good; he was also perceptive. "Did you know that one of the early Snape lords was a friend of Salazar Slytherin?"

"Yes, that would be Lord Sebastian," Severus said. "It's always been a point of pride in the Snape family."

"My, the purebloods certainly seem to be fond of alliteration," Lupin said with an amused smile. "Is there anyone in your family whose name didn't start with an 'S'?"

Selima glared at Lupin, although the same thought had occurred to her more than once; she had occasionally wondered if the fact that her name started with an 'S' had factored into Severin's decision to choose her as his bride. "It's something of a tradition in the Snape family," she informed Lupin coldly. "The sons' names always start with an 'S,' and most of the daughters' as well."

"Theo's Snape ancestor was named Melisandre," Dylan said with a grin. "Her name doesn't start with an 'S,' but there is an 'S' sound in the middle of it."

"Appropriate too," Lupin pointed out, "as the Snape family crest is a serpent, and the Melisandre of myth was also a serpent."

"I guess I'm breaking the tradition, then," Theodore said. "I don't have to change my name, do I?" His tone of voice was joking, but his eyes flickered over to Selima nervously as if he actually expected her to tell him to change his name to one that started with an "S".

Selima gave him a small, cool smile. "We seem to be breaking a great many traditions of late," she said, glancing pointedly at her son. "I suppose one more won't hurt."

Lupin laughed gently, and Severus gave her a startled look. "Was that a joke, Mother?" he asked suspiciously.

"Have you ever known me to be so frivolous, Severus?" Selima asked coolly. She ignored his confused look and picked up one of the petit fours and bit into it. "Thank you for bringing these, Professor Lupin; they're delicious."

"You're welcome, Lady Selima," Lupin said politely, his eyes sparkling with mischief and amusement.

It was actually worth being civil to the werewolf just to see the look on Severus's face, as if he were trying to figure out whether they had both gone mad or were plotting together against him--and as if he couldn't decide which scenario would be worse. It was a little petty of her, no doubt, but she did enjoy discomfiting him after everything he had put her through. Feeling a bit more cheerful, she ate another of the pastries; they were very good, after all, and there was no point in letting them go to waste just because the werewolf had brought them.

Theodore looked a little puzzled, but decided not to get involved, which Selima thought showed good sense on his part. "And that ancestor who married a Rosier woman?" he said. "I read his diary, and it says that when his wife bore him no children after several years of marriage, his family urged him to divorce her and marry someone else. But he loved her so much that he refused, and chose to adopt one of his nephews as his heir instead."

"Wow, that's pretty romantic for a pureblood," Dylan said, sounding impressed.

Lupin laughed, "So there are a few sentimental Snapes in the family tree!"

"Very few," Selima said sourly. "I suppose it's fortunate that Lord Simon didn't pass on his genes, just in case such sentiment might be hereditary."

"Well, it wasn't a total loss," Theodore said practically. "His parents weren't too pleased about it, but the Rosiers were grateful that he didn't send their daughter back home to them in disgrace, and they became strong allies of the Snapes for many years even though there were no more marriages between the two families."

"So you have been paying attention to what you're reading," Selima said approvingly.

"Yes, Grandmother," the boy said politely. He looked at Lupin, who nodded at him encouragingly, and Selima frowned. "I did have a few questions about the financial records, if you don't mind," Theodore continued.

Selima's irritation was quickly forgotten; Severus had never shown any interest in such things, which had infuriated her. Oh, he had dutifully listened to her lectures, but it was always clear that he was bored out of his mind and couldn't wait to return to his magical studies. She had often worried about what would happen to the estate after Severin died, since Severus clearly had no interest in running it. He would probably let her continue to oversee it as she always had, but she wouldn't be around forever, either. It was gratifying to see the new heir actually taking an interest in his responsibilities.

"Of course not," Selima replied aloud. "What would you like to know?"

"I didn't expect the Snape holdings to be this diverse," Theodore said. "The Notts aren't as wealthy as the Snapes, of course, but we--they--don't own stock in so many businesses, like the art gallery and the Wizard Supply stores. And I've never heard Draco mention anything about the Malfoys making business investments, but I suppose he wouldn't be interested in such things anyway..."

"Because Narcissa spoiled him rotten, never forcing him to assume the responsibilities of a proper heir," Selima finished. "But then again, I doubt that Lucius would have been willing to share his power, even with his own son, so perhaps it isn't all her fault. But you're right, Theodore, and I'm glad that you were clever enough to notice it." The boy seemed pleased by her praise, and Lupin grinned proudly, although Severus regarded her warily. Selima continued, "The pureblood elite think it gauche to discuss financial matters openly. The Malfoys and their ilk like to give the impression that they're so wealthy that they can spend money like water without worrying about earning more to replace it--which is rather shortsighted on their part."

"But Lucius Malfoy did have a job," Dylan pointed out. "An important, well-paying job with the Ministry of Magic. So did Theo's dad--I mean, Mr. Nott."

"Yes, but they probably took the jobs more as a means of forging political connections than they did for the salaries," Selima said. "If you could examine the financial records of the important pureblood families, you would probably find that there is more money going out than coming into their Gringotts accounts."

Everyone turned to look at Severus, who reluctantly nodded. "Yes, that is correct, at least in the case of the Notts. I had access to their financial records as your guardian, Theodore, and Morrigan and I went over them very carefully while preparing our suit against the Ministry. Your father--I mean, Thaddeus--was spending more than he earned, but not enough to deplete the family wealth, at least, not for many years. He probably figured that by the time that happened, the Death Eaters would be ruling the wizarding world anyway, and that they would divide up the estates of their fallen enemies."

"The pureblood elite don't like to dirty their hands with business matters," Selima said with a bitter smile. "They consider it to be beneath them--so middle class, as they say. Old money versus new money." She had heard such taunts often enough, as the daughter of a merchant family.

"But Lord Severin married you," Lupin said, looking intrigued. "For your family's business connections as well as to bring new blood into the family, you said. So he must be more open-minded than he appears at first glance."

"My father?" Severus said incredulously. "Open minded?"

"Farsighted, let us say," Selima said. "Much more so than any of his peers. Most of the purebloods like to pretend that their money will never run out, but eventually it will--not in this generation or even the next, perhaps, but eventually it will all be gone if they do not replenish the supply. Severin was wise enough to see this, and he let me handle our business investments as I saw fit so long as I was discreet about it."

"I see," Theodore said, looking interested.

"The stock in the Wizarding Supply store chain was a very good bargain," Selima continued, gloating just a little, although the deal had been finalized years ago. She'd had no one to share her business triumphs with except her Bashir relatives, whom she no longer saw very often. The pureblood women she associated with found such talk distasteful; Selima's late friend Anya Diggory nee Gravenor was probably the only one who would have listened without scorn or condescension. Severin appreciated her talent for business and finance, but he didn't care to dwell on the details of such matters; it was her job, after all, to deal with these things so that he didn't have to. She had to admit to herself that it was satisfying to finally have an appreciative audience, so she explained further, "The Riggs had built it up into an extremely profitable business, but they sold it at a loss in their haste to leave England after their son was revealed to have been a Death Eater. I advised some of my friends to purchase shares while the price was low, but they didn't heed me." She shrugged and made a dismissive gesture with her hand. "Their loss; we more than tripled our investment."

"But how do you keep track of all these investments?" Theodore asked curiously. "Surely you don't have time to oversee each business personally."

"Finally!" Selima said to Severus. "An heir who shows interest in carrying out his duties." Her son just shook his head, with a small, sardonic snort of amusement, and the werewolf chuckled softly. To Theodore she said, "Of course I don't run the businesses myself, but I make sure that they're managed by competent employees, and I check the books regularly, as well as make unscheduled visits from time to time to discourage any skimming." She smiled slyly. "Of course, occasionally bribes need to be passed to the proper official, which is an entirely different manner..."

"Yes, ma'am," Theodore said, not looking surprised.

"I will go over our investments with you in more detail, if you like," Selima continued, "and take you to visit some of the businesses we own." Severus opened his mouth to protest, and Selima clarified in an irritated voice, "When you are not too busy with your studies. Next summer, perhaps, after you pass your N.E.W.T.s."

"Yes, ma'am," Theodore repeated obediently.

Feeling pleased with the new heir's progress, Selima allowed Lupin to change the subject to school, and the boys discussed their current assignments and, with more enthusiasm, the upcoming Quidditch season.

"I'm sure we'll win this year, Professor!" Dylan said. "Theo's doing great, and Millicent's an even better Keeper than Bletchley was!"

"Of course, it all comes down to Malfoy catching the Snitch before Potter does," Theodore interjected. "Unless we can manage to get a hundred-fifty point lead."

Selima repressed a sigh; she didn't really understand the fascination the game held for most people, particularly teenage boys, but at least it was a socially acceptable pastime. "I hope you do well at your next match," she said politely.

"You must come see it, Lady Selima!" Lupin said enthusiastically as his lover shot a glare his way. "The first game of the season is Gryffindor versus Slytherin, the first weekend of November."

"Perhaps I will," Selima said, enjoying the horrified look on Severus's face. "It will depend on how Severin is doing, of course."

"Oh, of course," Lupin said, looking chastened. "Well, I hope you'll be able to make it. It would be nice for Theo's family to be on hand to cheer him on."

"You and I will be there, Lupin," Severus said in a slightly huffy voice.

"By the way, Severus," Selima said, "what has become of your mysterious friend, the one who may or may not be a pureblood heir?"

Her son's black eyes went panicky for just a second, before a carefully disinterested look fell over his face. "I fear I have troubled you for nothing, Mother," he said in an offhand manner. "My friend denies any connection with the Diggorys."

"If he had been willing to discuss it with you, then you wouldn't have come to me in the first place, now would you?" Selima retorted. "You told me yourself that you were certain he was a pureblood."

"Our friend," Lupin said sternly, "does not wish to dig up the past, and we must respect his wishes."

"It's getting late," Severus said hastily, rising to his feet. "We should be getting back to school. The boys have some real studying to do, after all."

"Thank you for the tea, Lady Selima," Dylan said politely.

"Thank you for the tea, Grandmother," Theodore echoed. "I'll take some of the histories back to school with me as you suggested, if that's all right with you."

"Of course," Selima said with an approving smile. "Just make sure that you take good care of them."

"I'll be very careful with them," Theodore promised.

"When he's done with those, you can bring him back here to get started on the next set," Selima told Severus.

"Of course," Lupin said in a chirpy tone. "We look forward to it." Severus heaved a sigh of exasperation, but didn't contradict his lover.

"Good day, Mother," he said, nodding at Selima curtly. "I'll continue owling Father's potion to you."

"Thank you, Severus," Selima replied, and Severus gave her a suspicious look, as if wondering why she was being so agreeable, then departed with Lupin and the boys.

Overall, Selima was pleased. Severus was being stubborn and disagreeable, but that was nothing new, and the werewolf, as much as she hated to admit it, was proving useful in getting him to cooperate. And best of all, his new heir was showing a great deal of potential.

She did not intend to let the matter of Severus's "friend" drop, though, even if Severus no longer wanted to pursue it. If Cynric Diggory--and indirectly, his wife, Anya--had been murdered, then Selima intended to see that her old friends received some measure of justice, or at least revenge. And if the "friend" was not a Diggory, but belonged to some other pureblood family, the information could still prove valuable, perhaps as a bargaining chip, if not right now, then someday. Almost every pureblood family had skeletons in their closet that they did not want revealed...
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"Thank you for distracting my mother," Snape told Theodore when they returned home to Hogwarts. "I was afraid she was going to press me further about Bleddri."

"I really am finding the histories interesting, sir," Theodore said. "I thought they'd be boring, but they're not. You...um, we...have some fascinating relatives."

"Yeah, I want to read more about this Simon Snape and his Rosier wife," Dylan said eagerly.

Lupin smiled at his sons. "You made a good impression on Lady Selima today, Theo."

"I find her kind of intimidating, but you handled her well," Dylan agreed.

Theodore shrugged, but looked pleased. "She's not so bad. My real grandmother was way worse."

Snape wondered what Theodore's grandmother had been like, to make Selima seem "not so bad" in comparison. Then again, Thaddeus had to have learned his abusive, bullying ways from someone, most likely his parents. Snape despised his parents, but he had to admit that they could have been worse.

"Besides," Theodore added, "I want to do my duty as the Snape heir. Not so much for her sake, but for yours, sir."

Snape didn't really care whether Theodore could memorize the family tree or properly manage the family finances or not, but he was touched by the boy's desire to please him. "You're doing a fine job," he said, laying his hand on Theodore's shoulder, and his son beamed at him. And then, because he was still enough of a Snape to feel uncomfortable about displaying sentiment, he lightened the mood a little by saying to Lupin sarcastically, "You seem to have made quite an impression on my mother as well, Lupin. What exactly did the two of you talk about in the kitchen?"

"Oh, this and that," Lupin said vaguely. "Nothing much, just a friendly little chat."

"Lady Selima does not have 'friendly little chats' with werewolves."

"Well, I am part of the family now," Lupin said sweetly. "We were just getting to know each other a little better."

"Please tell me that you didn't use those exact words with my mother," Snape said. "No, wait, you couldn't have, because she would have killed you--or at least tried to, and I didn't see any signs of a battle in the kitchen."

"Isn't it obvious?" Dylan laughed. "They were talking about you, Professor!"

"That's what I was afraid of," Snape grumbled.

Lupin smiled. "I told you that your mother and I had reached an agreement of sorts. She doesn't like me, but she's accepted that she'll have to put up with me in order to keep you and Theo in the family. We just sort of...formalized that agreement, you might say."

Snape thought there was a little more to it than that, and shook his head. His mother and Lupin conspiring together against him--now that was a scary thought! Lupin just laughed and slipped his arms around Snape, nuzzling him affectionately, and the boys grinned. Oh well, he supposed it was worth it to have three of them looking so happy, and being part of the Snape family seemed to give Theodore a sense of belonging. Snape sighed a little and consoled himself with the thought that it must be annoying his mother to no end to have to make an alliance with a werewolf.

 

Part 52