Aftermaths, Part 85

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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Theodore then opened Snape's present, which was an advanced text on runes by someone named Elias Tremayne. "Tremayne is one of the foremost experts on runes in the wizarding world--I have been inquiring as to whether he might be interested in taking you on as an apprentice, but he's a bit of a recluse and difficult to get hold of. But in any case, this text is required reading if you wish to obtain a Master's certification in Rune Lore."

"Yes, I do," Theodore replied earnestly, "and I would be honored if Master Tremayne will accept me as his apprentice. Thank you, Father. I'll study the book carefully, and work hard to pass my Ancient Runes N.E.W.T."

Snape smiled at him indulgently. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Theodore. Tremayne is a former curator with the Museum of Wizarding History, and he still does some consultant work for them occasionally, so an apprenticeship with him could lead to a job at the museum. And it's possible that there may be an opening in Ancient Runes at Hogwarts, not right away, but say, in the next three to five years. Professor Driscoll is getting on in years, and he's getting a little tired of teaching unruly children. He's been making noises about retiring in a few years and settling down to do some independent research and write a book."

"Me?" Theodore said, startled. "A teacher?"

Dylan grinned. "Why not? You could make it a family tradition."

"Two Snapes teaching at Hogwarts might be a little overwhelming for the students," Lupin joked.

"I don't think I could ever live up to Professor Snape's reputation," Theodore laughed.

Snape looked pleased by that remark; he was rather proud of his sinister reputation. "I will handle terrorizing the students; you need only teach," he said smugly, and Lupin and the boys laughed. "But seriously, it's only a suggestion. You have many options open to you, but I just thought you should keep it in mind. And you will need to pursue your studies beyond the N.E.W.T. level after graduation if you want to qualify for a teaching position. Working with Tremayne or at the museum would provide you with some useful experience in the meantime."

"Yes, Father," Theodore said, sounding very determined. Then he grinned and added, "It might be nice to hand out detention rather than receive it!"

"Yes, handing out my first detention was quite a thrill," Snape reminisced. "To a Gryffindor, of course."

"That goes without saying," Lupin laughed.

Lupin gave two gifts to Theodore; the first was a set of carving tools--blades of varying lengths and widths for finer detail work than his penknife could manage. "Thank you, Remus," Theodore said gratefully. "I hope one day I can carve as well as you."

Lupin noticed that Selima was frowning slightly, and he said pleasantly, "You have an interest in art, don't you, Lady Selima? I've noticed that you have many fine carvings and sculptures displayed around the house." His smile was as genial as always, but there was a hint of warning in his blue eyes.

Selima immediately picked up on it, and was reminded that as gentle and good-natured as he seemed most of the time, Lupin was still a werewolf, and that a wolf was protective of its cubs. Selima inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment, giving him a look of grudging respect. It was easy to look only on the surface and mistake Lupin's gentleness for weakness, but she knew better than to underestimate him by now, because Lupin was anything but weak. He had stubbornly stood up to her, and deftly manipulated her, all while maintaining that deceptively soft-spoken manner and gentle smile. She might not be happy about her son's relationship with the werewolf, but Slytherins respected strength, and she had come to respect Lupin.

"Yes, Professor," she said smoothly. "I did not know that Theodore was interested in such things." She turned to her grandson. "Perhaps during the holidays I can take you to visit the art gallery that we own--it would be a good idea for you to become more familiar with the various Snape investments."

"Yes, Grandmother," Theodore said obediently, relieved that she wasn't going to make a fuss about his hobby, which most of the snooty pureblood elite would regard as a bit crude and unseemly. Working with one's hands was something that the lower classes and Muggles did. "I would like that very much." He opened Lupin's second gift and completely forgot his misgivings. "It's my Patronus!" he exclaimed with delight as he held up the small weasel carving that Lupin had managed to complete in time for Christmas. It stood up on its hind legs in a protective stance, its mouth open to reveal tiny wooden fangs. He flung his arms around Lupin and hugged him, saying, "Thank you, Remus!"

Lupin hugged him back, smiling at him fondly. "You're welcome, Theo. I'm glad you like it."

Selima looked a little surprised, although Lupin was not sure whether it was due to the gift or Theodore's reaction to it. "May I see that for a moment, Theodore?" she asked, and he handed her the weasel. She examined it closely, then returned it to him. She stared at Lupin for a long moment, with an expression he could not quite read on her face; it seemed to be a bit quizzical. Finally she said, "Very fine, remarkably lifelike work. You are a man of many talents, Professor."

Lupin smiled. "That's high praise coming from you, Lady Selima. Thank you."

"Have you ever sold any of your carvings? It's certainly the equal of many pieces that I've seen at the gallery."

Now it was Lupin's turn to look startled. "Oh no, it's just something I do for fun. Although I guess I did carve a few fox figurines to be sold at Professor Kamiyama's temple in Japan when we were visiting him a few years back. But I only did it to pass the time." He smiled again. "I guess it never occurred to me to try and do it for a living, although perhaps I might have, if I had thought of it, when I was unemployed."

"Maybe you could have been a famous artist," Dylan said, only half-jokingly.

Lupin smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm very happy to be a teacher; I wouldn't trade it for any other job, not even Minister of Magic."

Dylan and Theodore gave their guardians books for Christmas. For Snape, they bought a Potions text entitled: "Toxic Tonics: a Treatise on the Medicinal Uses of Hellebore, Hemlock, and other Poisonous Herbs".

"Ah," Snape said, his eyes lighting with interest when he opened his present. "A somewhat archaic and dated text, but quite interesting, and difficult to find these days. Many modern Healers avoid using the potions described in this book because of the potential danger to the patient if one gets the dosage wrong." A disdainful expression crossed his face for a moment. "It's easier to prescribe something safer but less effective than go to the trouble of brewing the potion properly."

"Not everyone possesses your expertise in potion-brewing, Severus," Lupin said gently.

Snape smiled smugly and preened a little. "True," he conceded. "In any case, Hogwarts does have a copy of this book in the restricted section of the library, but I've been wanting a copy for my own collection for quite some time now. Where did you find it?"

His sons smiled at him proudly. "Mr. Jigger recommended the title when I asked him what you might like for Christmas," Dylan replied, "and he helped us track down a copy through a used book dealer."

"Thank you," Snape said, and the boys beamed at him. "I shall have to thank Mr. Jigger as well." He looked at the pile of liquor bottles and candy boxes that he had received from the Slytherin parents. "I'll take him a bottle of brandy the next time I drop by the shop." Jigger didn't care much for sweets, and besides, Snape preferred to keep the chocolates for himself. He would share some with Lupin, though, since chocolate did have certain aphrodisiacal qualities--not that Lupin really needed any help in that department.

For Lupin, the boys had picked out a set of novels by his favorite author, Ariel Zoltaire. "How wonderful!" Lupin cried enthusiastically. "It's his--or her--latest trilogy!"

"You don't what sex the author is?" Snape asked curiously.

"No one knows," Lupin replied. "There's no picture of the author on the book jackets, and he or she never makes personal appearances. Thank you so much, Theo, Dylan. I've read 'Demon Lover,' but I haven't read 'Demon's Destiny' or 'Demon's Daughter' yet. I've been meaning to pick them up, but things have been so hectic..." He smiled. "But we're on vacation now, so I'm looking forward to sitting by the fire and reading these."

Snape gazed at the books, curling his lip in distaste. "Don't tell me that you're reading those trashy romance novels that the Slytherin girls are so fond of," he said scornfully.

"They're not trashy!" Lupin protested indignantly. "And while there's some romance in them, there's also plenty of action and adventure--not that there's anything wrong with a little romance!"

"Ali Bashir would like 'The Beggar Prince,'" Dylan chimed in. "It's about a young wizard who travels around the world on a flying carpet. He has all sorts of adventures, wins a fortune, and marries a princess at the end." Snape stared at him incredulously, and Dylan grinned sheepishly. "Er...Pansy left it lying around in the common room. I just happened to pick it up and leaf through it when I was bored one day."

"I see," Snape said, not sounding convinced. "Well, they still look like trashy romance novels to me." He picked up "Demon Lover," which featured a beautiful young woman with an ample, heaving bosom being embraced by a handsome but sinister-looking man in black robes. Snape took a sip of tea, then nearly choked when he read the summary on the dust jacket. When he was done coughing, he exclaimed, "This is about a woman who is kidnapped and taken to the palace of the King of Demons, where of course the King falls madly in love in love with her."

"Of course," Lupin agreed. "That is usually how these stories work."

Snape stared at the book suspiciously. "Are you sure that Branwen isn't the mystery author writing under a pen name?"

Lupin chuckled. "It's probably just someone who's created a fanciful tale inspired by her disappearance and recent reappearance in the wizarding world. Most people assumed she was carried off by demons, as you yourself have often pointed out. Perhaps Branwen should sue for a percentage of the royalties."

Snape handed the book back to Lupin with a disgusted look. "The author probably remains anonymous because he or she would be ashamed to have their real name associated with such trash. This Zoltaire can't even come up with an original idea--Branwen seems to be the model for the heroine in this book, and the plot of 'The Beggar Prince' was obviously stolen from 'Aladdin'."

Lupin smiled. "That may be so, Severus, but it's all in how you tell the story. And Mr. or Ms. Zoltaire manages to create quite a page-turner of a tale. You should try reading one of the books before you judge them."

"I'd sooner read one of Gilderoy Lockhart's books," Snape declared contemptuously.

Meanwhile, the pile of presents under the tree had grown much smaller. Vorcher handed one of the few remaining boxes to Selima. It was from Theodore and contained a pair of silver hair combs set with small, round pieces of amber that looked like droplets of clear, dark honey--a near-perfect match to the color of Selima's skin. "Thank you, Theodore," Selima said, sounding pleased. "They're beautiful."

"You're welcome, Grandmother," Theodore said, then admitted, "Dylan helped me pick them out. He said the combs would stand out more against your hair, while a necklace or bracelet of amber beads would blend in with your skin tones."

"Yes, Mr. Rosier has quite an eye for color," Selima acknowledged with a note of wry humor in her voice. "If he ever tires of brewing potions as a career, he could always become a fashion designer."

Dylan laughed, and Snape shuddered and said, "Perish the thought, Mother! What a waste that would be!"

Dylan's gift to Selima was a matching brooch of amber set in silver. She pinned the brooch to her robes, and slid the combs into her hair.

"You look beautiful, Lady Selima," Lupin gushed, and the combs did indeed look quite striking against her black hair.

"You are a shameless flatterer, Professor Lupin," Selima retorted, but she looked pleased, and the boys grinned happily. They had fretted a little over what to get Lady Snape for Christmas; Theodore in particular had wanted to make a good impression on his new grandmother.

Vorcher picked up the next box, read the tag, and his eyes widened in surprise. "Th-this must be a mistake," he stuttered. "The tag says 'to Vorcher'."

"It's not a mistake," Lupin assured him. "The gift is for you."

"No one has ever given Vorcher a present before," the house-elf sniffled.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Selima said. "What's next, presents for the owl, too?"

"Actually, I did buy owl treats for Socrates and Blodwen, although I didn't wrap them," Lupin said cheerily, and Selima sighed heavily.

"Just tell me that you didn't give him clothes, Lupin," Snape muttered. Not that he was overly-fond of Vorcher, but his mother would have a fit if Lupin freed the house-elf.

"Of course not," Lupin said reproachfully. "The point of a gift is to make the recipient happy." And Vorcher would hardly be happy if he were freed, however much Lupin might disapprove of the enforced servitude of house-elves.

The present turned out to be a box of sweets from Honeydukes. "Thank you, Master Severus, Master Lupin," Vorcher said happily, hugging the box to his chest.

Snape gave Lupin a horrified look. "Did you have to put MY name on the tag?!" he demanded. "I didn't have anything to do with it!"

Lupin patted him on the arm in a soothing manner. "It's Christmas, Severus. Don't be such a grump."

All the presents seemed to be gone, so Selima dismissed Vorcher, and he scampered off to the kitchen to fix breakfast, still sniffling happily and clutching his box of candy. Lupin looked puzzled and a little hurt, and Snape cleared his throat and said gruffly, "There should be one more present under the tree."

Dylan crawled under the tree to look for it. "Ah, here it is," he said, finding it hidden beneath the overhanging branches. It was a very small box, only a few inches square, wrapped in silver and green paper. "No wonder we nearly missed it," he said, handing the box to Lupin.

Lupin smiled at Snape and said apologetically, "I should have known you wouldn't have forgotten me." He examined the box curiously. "Hmm, it's a bit too small to be a robe."

"Oh, just open it, Lupin," Snape growled, looking a little embarrassed and casting a nervous glance in his mother's direction.

Now Lupin was really intrigued. He eagerly tore off the paper, exposing a small, velvet-covered jewelry box. He pushed back the lid and gasped softly.

"What is it, Remus?" Theodore asked, and the boys crowded around him, eager to see what Snape had given him. It was a gold ring, engraved with a design of running wolves that circled the entire band.

"Oh, Severus," Lupin whispered, "it's beautiful." He lifted the ring out of the box with a trembling hand and slipped it onto his finger; it was a perfect fit. He looked up at his lover and smiled, eyes filled with tears. For all that he complained about public displays of affection and claimed that he didn't care that they couldn't get married, the crotchety Potions Master was a romantic at heart. Still, such gestures didn't come easily to Severus, and Lupin was deeply touched by his gift. Although he'd been careful up until now to behave with a certain degree of decorum in order to avoid offending Lady Selima, all such thoughts flew out of his head as he kissed Snape soundly on the mouth, then hugged him tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he whispered fervently.

"Er...you're welcome, Remus," Snape said awkwardly, his face flushed. He really should have given the ring to Lupin in private, but he hadn't thought to buy Lupin a second gift, and he would have been hurt if Snape had not given him a present in front of the others. Besides, he hadn't anticipated this strong a reaction--he'd hoped that Lupin would be pleased with his gift, of course, but figured that he'd save the kissing and hugging until they were alone. He gingerly patted Lupin on the back, not wanting to hurt his feelings by pushing him away, but he was afraid to look at his mother and see her reaction. He braced himself for an explosion, but all he heard was a resigned, slightly irritated sigh. He risked a glance at his mother, and saw a very strange expression on her face; he wasn't quite sure what it was...regret, perhaps? And possibly a hint of envy...or was he imagining things? Then she saw him looking at her, and her cool, composed mask immediately slipped over her face again.

"Professor Lupin," Selima sighed, "could you please control yourself?"

"I beg your pardon, Lady Selima," Lupin said with a grin, pulling away from Snape and quickly running his sleeve across his eyes. "You know how sentimental we Gryffindors can get."

"Indeed," Selima said dryly, rising to her feet. "I'll see you in the dining room. Vorcher should have breakfast ready in a few minutes.

"What about all this...?" Lupin gestured towards the torn wrapping paper and ribbons lying on the floor, as well as the stacks of opened presents.

"Vorcher will clean it up later, of course," Selima said, in a tone that said it should be perfectly obvious, then left the room.

The boys followed her, after thanking Lupin and Snape once again for their presents. "It was a great Christmas," Dylan said, grinning widely.

"The best!" Theodore agreed emphatically.

"I'm glad," Lupin said, and then he and Snape were left alone in the drawing room. He wrapped his arms around Snape's neck and smiled at him tenderly. "Merry Christmas, Severus."

"Merry Christmas, Remus," Snape said and gave him a long, lingering kiss before they reluctantly parted and joined the others in the dining room for breakfast.
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Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts, Draco disappeared immediately after breakfast, when McGonagall told him that a special package had been delivered to the school office for him. He ran off, looking eager and excited, and the rest of the Slytherins returned to the dorm.

They gathered in the common room, exchanging presents with each other or showing off the presents they'd gotten from home. "I wonder what Draco got, that an owl couldn't just drop off in the Great Hall?" Crabbe mused out loud.

"Aw, it's probably just something from his Mummy that was too heavy for the family owl to carry," Aric said, sneering a little just on principle, but he was in a good mood after opening his own presents, and was feeling too lazy and mellow to pick a fight this morning. Apparently Crabbe and Goyle were disinclined to fight, too, because they let his insult pass without comment.

"Luna gave me a model Thestral," Crabbe said proudly, showing it off to Goyle.

"Is that really what they look like?" Aric asked, wrinkling his nose in distaste as he stared at the model, which looked like a skeletal, bat-winged horse.

Crabbe and Goyle, and several of the other students stared at him in surprise. "You mean you can't see them?" Goyle asked.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Aric drawled, "but I've never killed anyone, nor seen anyone be killed."

"Maybe Durmstrang's reputation is slightly overrated, after all," Brad joked. "I thought there would be dead bodies piled up all over the place!"

"No, but rumor has it that there are a few buried in the basement," Aric said with a straight face, and enjoyed watching the expressions on Crabbe's and Goyle's faces as they tried to figure out whether he was joking or not.

Just then, Draco walked in, carrying a large red gift bag and a large red-and-green striped box topped off with a red bow. Curiously, there were several holes punched into the lid of the box. "Merry Christmas, Avery," he said nervously, handing her the box.

"Why, thank you, Draco," Serafina replied, rewarding him with one of her rare smiles, then froze when the box moved--or rather, something inside it moved, causing the box to shift in her hands. Very slowly and carefully, she set the box down on the floor and removed the lid. A reddish-brown kitten with large, pointed ears and bright, intelligent golden eyes poked its head out and looked at her inquisitively. Serafina just sat there, her face frozen and expressionless, and Draco worried that this might not have been such a good idea after all, although the werewolf was usually right about these sorts of things.

"Lupin said he thought you might like a familiar," Draco said, a little defensively.

The kitten mewed at her anxiously, and Serafina stared at it for a long moment before reaching out and tentatively running a finger along its forehead. The kitten jumped out of the box, crawled onto her lap, and mewed at her in a commanding, imperious tone. Serafina smiled a little, and began to stroke the kitten, who purred loudly.

Draco let out a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "It's an Abyssinian," he explained, still enough of a Malfoy to want her to know that he had gotten her an expensive purebreed, and not just some alley cat. "They're believed to have originated in Egypt, since they resemble cats in ancient Egyptian paintings and sculptures."

"So maybe this cat's ancestor was the pet of a Pharaoh," Millicent said whimsically. She was fond of cats herself, and owned a large black Persian male named Sable.

"They're supposed to be very intelligent," Draco added.

"Thank you, Draco," Serafina said, smiling at him again; whatever misgivings she'd had about the cat seemed to have vanished. "He's very beautiful."

"Er, actually it's a she."

Serafina gazed at the kitten thoughtfully as it continued to purr, a blissful expression on its face. "Then, since she is an Egyptian cat, I will name her 'Bast,' after the Egyptian goddess of cats," Serafina decided, and Bast mewed in a way that seemed somehow approving.

"Glad you like her," Draco said, looking very relieved, and handed her the red bag. "I also got some stuff for the cat--er, I mean, Bast. Food, bowls, bed, litter box, catnip mouse..."

Several of the students, particularly the girls, gathered around to fuss over the new kitten. Sable looked a bit disgruntled about all the attention that the newcomer was getting, and Millicent stroked him, whispering, "Be nice now, Sable; you've got to look after her. She's like a first-year, and you're an upperclassman." The cat did not look convinced. "And Avery's an expert at casting curses, and she's likely to turn you into a rat if you're mean to her familiar." Sable looked alarmed, then reluctantly walked over to greet Bast, who purred and rubbed up against him.

"Oh, how sweet!" Miriam said. "They like each other!" Sable gave his mistress an aggrieved look that seemed to say, "Why me?" and Millicent just laughed.

Meanwhile, Aric lounged in an armchair by the fireplace, only half-listening as Yvonne prattled at him and showed off some new jewelry and clothes that her family had given her for Christmas. Her endless chatter did get rather tiresome, but she was very pretty, and Aric did feel a certain satisfaction that he was able to get a date to the Ball when his cousin had not. Still, he didn't think he'd be interested in pursuing a relationship with Yvonne beyond going to the Ball, and besides, there was no point in getting too attached to any one girl when his parents would arrange a suitable marriage for him when the time came. Hopefully they'd allow him some choice in the matter, but he would still be expected to choose from a list of candidates that they had selected and approved. Yvonne came from a well-to-do pureblood family (although they were not as wealthy as the Snapes or Malfoys), so it was possible that he might end up marrying her after all, although he found the prospect a little dismaying. He supposed his sister Erika would say that Yvonne was not to blame for being so shallow and flighty, because she was exactly what pureblood girls were expected to be: pretty, decorative, and empty-headed, with no ambition other than to someday marry a handsome and wealthy pureblood man. His sister was pretty (though he would never admit that to her face), but she was definitely not empty-headed; it was something of a sore point with her that Aric would inherit the Dietrich estate even though she was the older sibling. That had caused some friction between them over the years--although they loved each other, Erika resented him for being the heir just because he was male, and Aric felt pressured to prove that he was worthy of the title, which was no easy task when Erika had been a top-ranked student at Durmstrang.

It helped a little that she was now working abroad at one of Gringotts' overseas branches; a little distance seemed to make things less strained between them--absence makes the heart grow fonder, as the saying went. He had told her a little about Master Bleddri's classes in his letters to her, and this Christmas she had sent him a beautiful rapier with a jeweled handle. His parents had indulged him and paid for his fencing lessons, but they thought that physical combat was a waste of time for a wizard. But Erika understood how much he loved it, and although they fought constantly, she had never teased or taunted him about this one subject. They both knew, without ever openly discussing it, that he had taken up fencing because Rafe had loved it, and that he had continued with it after Rafe's death because it made him feel closer to his uncle. So although his older sister frequently got on his nerves, he was touched by her gift of the sword, which was something his parents or grandparents would never have thought of giving him.

He had gotten nice presents from his family, though, including a set of new robes (black and gold) for the Yule Ball, and an antique gold pocketwatch that was a family heirloom. He remembered that he always used to pester his grandfather to let him play with it as a child, because he loved the way that the cover snapped open and shut. It was time now, his grandfather said, to pass it on to the future heir of the Dietrich estate.

Aric had also received a gift from Takeshi, a book of medical spells. His detention had not really been so bad; he worked hard at the clinic, but Takeshi was always kind to him, giving him some tips on what to expect on his N.E.W.T.s and what sorts of things he should study in order to apply for a job at St. Mungo's. Even Kyra would joke around with him in a friendly manner when she stopped by to help at the clinic. And he enjoyed working on the Wolfsbane Potion even though it smelled foul.

"If you think it smells bad, you should try tasting it," Bleddri had said dryly.

Aric had to admit that Bleddri had been decent to him. The werewolf had been satisfied that he'd been working hard and behaving himself after the first day, so he'd let Aric take some time off the next day to go with Takeshi to St. Mungo's and get tested for a Healing Gift. The Healer who tested him informed him that he did indeed have a minor Gift, and that they would certainly be interested in hiring him as mediwizard if he did well on his N.E.W.T.s. The following day, Bleddri had skipped going to the clinic, and instead had Aric help him clean and polish the weapons in the Physical Defense classroom. They'd also done a little sparring afterwards, which Aric had enjoyed. It was still an unfair match because of the werewolf's inhuman strength and reflexes, but Aric felt that he had closed the gap slightly. Bleddri had been sweating and panting a little by the time they were done, and he had given Aric a wolfish grin and said, "Not bad; you gave me quite a workout. We should do this more often; I think I'm getting a little soft, working at Hogwarts." He had felt quite proud of himself then, especially since Bleddri didn't evince any "softness" that Aric could see.

Aric sighed, suddenly feeling a little melancholic. There was no one he could share that feeling of pride with, because there was no one at Hogwarts that he felt close enough to confide in, and his parents didn't approve of either Physical Defense classes or werewolf teachers. Even Erika wouldn't understand why he would take pride in a werewolf's praise; Aric wasn't sure that he understood it himself. Bleddri was a worthy adversary, he finally decided--whether you liked him or not, you had to respect that. And he felt pleased that Bleddri seemed to find him a worthy adversary in return. Well, maybe he could talk to Takeshi about it--the mediwizard certainly had no problem regarding werewolves with respect. And Kyra would probably think it was funny that he had been able to make the "Pack Leader" (as she referred to Bleddri) sweat. It was strange, but Aric was almost looking forward to resuming his detention and going back to the clinic.

"Are you listening to me, Aric?" Yvonne pouted.

Aric's history teacher at Durmstrang was almost as boring as Professor Binns, and he had long ago learned the art of paying just enough attention to pick up a few key phrases to prove that you were listening to the speaker, even when you really weren't. "Yes, you said that your father gave you that necklace for Christmas. It's very pretty."

Yvonne smiled, looking satisfied. "I'm going to wear it to the Ball tonight. And the new dress that Mummy gave me, and--where are you going, Aric?"

"Detention," Aric lied. Bleddri had actually given him the day off since it was Christmas, but he wanted to get away from Yvonne's chatter for a little while, and he wanted to try out his new rapier. "I'm supposed to polish weapons for Bleddri."

"You'd think that Master Bleddri could at least let you have Christmas Day off!" Yvonne said indignantly.

Aric shrugged. "It's not really his fault. Dumbledore's the one who handed out the detention; Bleddri's just following orders. Besides, it beats scrubbing bedpans or gutting horny toads."

He went down to the Physical Defense classroom, and both he and Bleddri were surprised to find each other there. The werewolf was sitting alone in the middle of the room, looking pensive and a little unhappy. "Mr. Dietrich," Bleddri said, looking up with a start. "I thought I told you that you could have today off."

"I know," Aric replied. "But I felt like getting away from Slytherin for a little while, and I thought I might try out my new present." He unsheathed the rapier.

"Is it anything more than a pretty toy?" Bleddri asked, gazing at the sword dubiously.

"Try it yourself and see," Aric replied, offering it to the werewolf hilt first. Bleddri hefted it experimentally, then took a couple of swings at the empty air; Aric was careful to stand a good distance away.

"Not bad," Bleddri said, tossing the sword back to Aric, who caught it neatly. "Good balance, good grip. But you know I can't let you use that in class." The werewolf smiled sardonically. "Draco's bloody nose was bad enough. Imagine the parents' reaction if you accidentally ran someone through!"

"I know," Aric said with a grin. "I wasn't expecting you to be here, but perhaps we could spar a bit if you don't mind? I don't think that there's much chance of me running you through!" Bleddri laughed, and Aric asked curiously, "Why are you here, anyway? I thought you were going to spend Christmas with your pack."

Bleddri looked uncomfortable and said, somewhat evasively, "I did sleep over last night and open presents with them this morning, but...I felt like being alone, so I came back early."

"Oh," Aric said, feeling disappointed. "Well, if you want to be alone, then..."

But the werewolf shook his head. "No, actually, I could use a little workout." He took one of the practice swords down from the racks on the wall. "Come then, let's try out your new blade..."
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

About an hour later, Aric sauntered back to the dungeon, looking sweaty and tired but pleased with himself. Lukas felt better, too, the physical exertion having banished some of his demons. He went back to his quarters to take a shower, and the sight of his Christmas presents laid out across his bed reminded him of why he'd wanted to be alone. Selima had sent him what nearly amounted to an entire wardrobe for Christmas--not just a very fine set of velvet robes, but also shirts and trousers made of silk and good linen. He had to look like a proper pureblood Lord when he appeared in court, her card explained. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Lupin, and Takeshi had also given him robes for Christmas, so he certainly had enough clothing to look the part, but he still felt like an impostor, and wondered if he was doing the right thing by challenging Amos for the title. Not that he thought his uncle deserved to keep the title, but Lukas knew that the pureblood elite would never truly accept him as one of their own, no matter how fine his robes were. Did he really want to spend the rest of his life being sneered at and gossiped about behind his back?

{They will do that anyway, whether you regain the title or not,} he reminded himself. He had might as well reap the benefits along with the disadvantages. And Snape had managed to put up with the gossip and disdain and name-calling for all these years, first as a Death Eater, and then when his relationship with Lupin was made public. Lukas felt a grudging respect for the Potions Master, even if he wasn't always sure that he liked Snape.

The Snape family was turning out to be something of a thorn in his side, but Lady Selima was right when she said that it would be cowardly to try to run and hide from his fate. He touched Gwendolyn's present, a heavy gold torc that had belonged to his father, a gift from Anya to Cynric on their wedding day. The Gravenors had swept Anya and Lukas off in such haste after Cynric's death, that most of his father's possessions had been left behind. He had assumed that the Diggorys had destroyed them, or at best locked them away in the attic, but the torc, at least, had survived.

"I kept this," Gwendolyn's card read, "because I knew how much your father loved it, and I wanted something to remember him by. I always meant to return it to Anya someday, but she never came back to London, and died before I could give it back to her. So now I am returning it to you, Cyril. I think your father would want you to have it."

Lukas slipped the torc around his neck, the metal cold against his skin, and turned to look at his reflection in the mirror. The torc was the sort of thing that Slytherins found beautiful, but that others found sinister-looking: the ends of the collar had been fashioned to resemble serpent heads, and it looked like he had a double-headed gold serpent coiled around his neck. Looking into the mirror was like seeing his father's ghost, and Lukas's hand trembled slightly as he reached up to touch the torc.

"For your sake, Father," he whispered to the mirror's reflection, "I will win back the title and become Lord Diggory, no matter what Amos and the other purebloods say."
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Later that evening at Snape Manor, Snape and his family gathered together in the drawing room to say goodbye to Lady Selima before heading over to Hogwarts for the Yule Ball.

"My, how handsome you all look in your new robes," Selima said lightly, and the boys and Lupin grinned at her while Snape fidgeted impatiently. While his stay at Snape Manor had been surprisingly pleasant, he was looking forward to getting away from it for a little while. Hogwarts was still more "home" to him than the Manor was, and besides, he was hoping that he and Lupin could sneak away from the Ball early and spend some time alone in their quarters. "By the way, Theodore," Selima asked, "who are you taking to the Ball this year?"

"No one," Theodore replied, and Selima frowned slightly. "I waited too long before asking anyone," he added, feigning regret. "I was preoccupied with my studies, and before I knew it, all the Slytherin girls my age had dates. I thought perhaps I could go with Serafina as a friend, but then Draco surprised everyone by asking her out."

"There will be plenty of time for dancing and girls after graduation," Snape said firmly. Personally, he thought the Ball was a waste of time, although for once, he appreciated it, because it gave him a welcome excuse to leave the house.

"The Yule Ball is not just a chance for the young people to dance and flirt with each other, Severus," Selima said sternly. "It is an opportunity to socialize with one's peers, make alliances, and demonstrate one's social standing." To her grandson, she said, "Your dedication to your studies is commendable, but you must not neglect your social responsibilities as well."

"Yes, Grandmother," Theodore said meekly. "I will be more careful in the future."

"The Ball will likely end late," Snape said casually, "so we'll sleep over at Hogwarts and return in the morning after breakfast." Dylan and Theodore smiled, so he assumed that they were looking forward to spending some time with their respective paramours as well.

"I shan't wait up for you, then," Selima replied pleasantly. "Have a good time at the Ball."

"Are you sure you won't come with us?" Lupin asked, ignoring Snape's look of horror. He felt a little guilty about leaving Selima alone in an empty house on Christmas night. "The Headmaster has invited several alumni to the Ball, and I'm sure he would be happy to see you."

"No, thank you," Selima replied, much to Snape's relief. "I'm looking forward to having some peace and quiet for a change. I think I shall sit by the fire, drink some tea, and read a good book. Perhaps I can start translating Severus's Potions text."

"Well then, goodnight, Mother," Snape said, and hastily went through the Floo before his mother could change her mind. The boys followed, after politely saying goodbye to Selima.

Lupin lingered behind for a moment. "Are you sure you'll be all right?" he asked anxiously, although he knew that Selima's pride probably wouldn't let her answer in the negative regardless of her true feelings. "I always hated spending Christmases alone." He had spent a few very bleak Christmases alone, after his parents died and before he reconciled with Severus.

But Selima gave him what appeared to be a sincere smile and said, "Thank you, Professor, but I will stay home tonight. It is my gift to Severus, you see. He has been remarkably well-behaved and reasonable of late, although I know that behaving like a proper pureblood Lord is something of a strain on him, so I wish to reward him. And I am sure that he would appreciate an evening away from Snape Manor and his duties as Lord."

Lupin smiled at her and said gently, "It is true that Severus is uncomfortable with his role as Lord Snape, but he has enjoyed his stay here, and so have the boys and I." Selima looked thoughtful, but said nothing in response, so Lupin said, "Merry Christmas, Lady Selima. We'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Merry Christmas, Professor," Selima replied, and Lupin flung a handful of Floo Powder in the fireplace, and stepped through to join his lover and sons at Hogwarts.

 

Part 86