Chapter 69: Pronglet Fights Back: 7

18 th March 1995

Hermione picked at her breakfast, not really interested in eating. She had received permission from her parents to try the animagus potion but she was wondering whether she should go ahead or not. She had woken early and decided to ponder the matter over food before anyone else got up. She frowned as she scooped up more muesli.

A motion beside her had her half-turning, irritated at being disturbed, but the sight of Luna sliding onto the bench forestalled any remark Hermione might have made to be left alone.

"Morning." Hermione said instead, watching bemusedly as Luna helped herself to a full English and half-wondering where the small waif of a girl put that amount of food.

"Good morning." Luna said cheerfully. "You look pensive this morning."

Hermione explained the ongoing problem with finding her animagus form and her internal debate on whether to use the potion. She was careful to keep her voice low; Harry's animagus form was a secret as were the lessons but she knew Luna knew and was a safe confidante.

Luna tilted her head as she sliced up a sausage. "Why are you so against using the potion?"

"I think it's because all the material states that you're not given a choice and once you've taken the potion, that's it; that's your form." Hermione sighed. "I mean, I understand why Harry's father and Sirius took the potion back in school. It is expedient and they needed something to work with quickly to help Remus but there isn't the same argument for me. This is something that Harry invited us to share with him and just because it's taking me longer…" She huffed out another breath, annoyance filling her again. "I just don't understand why I can't see my form when Ron and Harry can! Taking the potion feels like I've failed and that's unacceptable! And I know Professor McGonagall explained about self-awareness and questioning of identity but…"

"But it sucks that they can do something and you can't." Luna said bluntly. "Especially Ron."

Hermione deflated. She felt like a really terrible person. It was OK that the boys were good fliers and into Quidditch because it was physical and sports and not Hermione's thing. It was just…being smart and the first to spell was her thing. She'd had to adjust to the realisation that Harry was better than she was in school, although she'd managed to comfort herself that it was because his power levels made his practicals easy, and that he still checked with her on the theory. "I'm horrible."

"Animagus transformation isn't just another spell and knowing the theory." Luna pointed out. "It's more than that and that's why you're not getting it."

Professor McGonagall had pretty much said the same thing when Hermione had cornered her after Transfiguration to talk about it again.

Hermione stirred her soggy breakfast despondently.

Luna cleared her throat. "What else is bothering you about the potion?"

Hermione squirmed under the sharp silver gaze and sighed. "Sirius told us that Harry's mother took the potion because she had similar difficulties to me in school. Only when she took it she ended up with a form that complemented Harry's father; he was a stag and she was a doe."

Luna hummed. "And this disturbs you because you don't just want to be seen as Harry Potter's girlfriend."

"Exactly." Hermione pushed her half-eaten muesli away and reached for a banana. "I'm a terrible girlfriend."

"Maybe you can't see your form because you're afraid you won't like it." Luna stated. "You've called yourself a terrible person and a terrible girlfriend. Maybe you don't like you enough to see it."

And that was remarkably insightful. Hermione flinched at the accuracy of Luna's comment. Maybe she really didn't like herself enough to see the truth of herself and maybe her ambivalence to taking the potion was because she wasn't sure she was ready to see her form at all.

"I don't think you are terrible." Luna said comfortingly.

Hermione glanced at her. "Really?"

"I wouldn't want to be a raven just because my boyfriend was one." Luna said matter-of-factly, her eyes on her bacon. "I want to be whatever I am."

Hermione nodded. "Me too." She gestured with the unpeeled fruit she held. "I think it scares me that Lily Potter ended up with a form that so mirrored her husband's. By all accounts she was…well…"

"Your equivalent," Luna said lightly, "the smartest witch of her generation."

"Yes." Hermione flushed bright red, feeling a little arrogant at her own presumption in comparing herself. "But if she took a form so closely to her husband's…then what are my chances?"

"Much better I would have thought." Luna said simply. "She was a wife in the late Seventies. Society would have driven her to think of herself primarily in terms of her husband and family."

Hermione brightened and started to unpeel her banana. "Right."

"And you're not married to Harry." Luna pointed out the very obvious difference and Hermione blushed again.

She and Harry were a long way off marriage for all the jokes that had been made about them since Remus and Tonks started to organise their wedding. But sometimes Hermione daydreamed and she wasn't ruling it out for the future even if the logical side of her argued it was unlikely that they'd stay together. First loves rarely did.

And wasn't that a depressing thought? One that made her heart ache a little because she really did love Harry.

"You think too much." Luna said, without even looking at her.

Hermione rubbed her forehead and took a bite of the fruit to refrain from a reply.

"Harry's mother took the potion when she was married to Harry's father and considered herself primarily in those terms." Luna waved her knife. "You're worried that since you started going out with Harry, you're only seen as Harry's girlfriend and you have enough ambition and smarts to want to be known for yourself first. You're worried that if the potion is a raven it means you're identity is being suborned by Harry, but you're also worried that if you aren't a raven that Harry will be upset since his mother was so clearly aligned with his father."

Hermione nodded, her mouth full of banana. "I think you've managed to put what's been bothering me into words." She admitted once she'd swallowed. "It's one of the main reasons why I don't want to take the potion." She sighed. "But I'm also worried that even if my form isn't something to do with Harry and it's just me, then l still get stuck with that form when I'm still learning and growing and…what if the form influences me away from that learning and growing? I can't imagine Sirius being anything other than his form."

"Hmmm." Luna's gaze went unfocused for a long moment. "It's unlikely Sirius would ever have been anything other than a grim. It was his destiny to guard Harry."

There was a dreamy quality to the statement and Hermione guessed Luna's gift was making an appearance. She pressed her lips together.

"It's still a concern." Hermione insisted. "I mean, Pettigrew's a rat. Maybe if his form hadn't been stuck…"

Luna shook her head a touch as though to shake away whatever vision she had seen or maybe to disagree with Hermione's half-finished thought. "The potion forms are valid representations of the primary character traits of the animagus at the time the potion is consumed. Pettigrew was always going to leave a ship he thought was sinking. Sirius was always the defender of the innocent. Harry's father was the leader of his herd."

"Maybe I'm not ready to see what that is right now." Hermione confessed out loud, dropping her gaze to the table.

Luna gazed at her, another half-dreamy look upon her face. "You will embrace your form when you are ready to see who you really are."

At least that sounded promising.

"I just don't understand why it was so easy for Ron and Harry." Hermione muttered.

"Harry had a lot of healing over the Summer to know who he truly is and to know who he is has worth." Luna pointed out kindly, scraping up scrambled eggs from a pool of brown sauce. "I would guess that Ron has never questioned himself much."

That was true. And it explained a lot. Hermione chewed on the last of her banana. She knew she was a good person. Yes, she had her pride and her ego, but she believed she was caring and compassionate; a strong defender for right and honour; a loyal, trustworthy, dependable friend and a loving supporting girlfriend. But if she was being honest with herself, in many ways, Hermione knew she didn't like her outward persona much; a bossy bookworm was the kindest description many had given her in the past and Ron's past teasing that she didn't know how to have fun had hit uncomfortably close to the mark at times. She guessed she had some thinking to do about accepting her own character before she would be able to find her animagus self.

Hermione put down the banana skin in her half-finished bowl. "I don't think I'm going to take the potion. I think I'm going to persevere with the meditation. It may take longer but I think it will be better that way."

Luna nodded sagely and changed the subject to runes.

Hermione happily went with the topic and they were in the midst of a spirited discussion about the origins of runic magic when Ron showed up along with the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Ginny was pale under her freckles and Hermione didn't envy the younger woman the pressure she was under. Everyone in the school knew the outcome of the Quidditch cup rested on the game, and as always the seeker was the one under the most pressure to perform.

It wasn't long before breakfast was over, cloaks and gloves were gathered, and the majority of the school headed for the Quidditch stands.

Hermione met Harry outside of the tower and they walked hand in hand outside. Harry was almost vibrating with tension and Hermione appreciated it was difficult for him to simply watch a game that he'd had no choice in not playing thanks to the tournament rules.

"Sirius isn't coming?" asked Hermione as they trudged up the steps to get a good seat.

"He's in the parents' block with the Weasleys." Harry explained. "He invited them for lunch."

"That's nice." Hermione said.

"The Malfoys arrived just before," Harry retorted, "it was like a car crash."

Hermione winced sympathetically. She could only imagine how the two couples must have reacted to each other.

"Well, they can't expect us to support Draco just because he's family." Hermione said. "We are Gryffindors."

"Lucy made the argument that I'm not actually a Gryffindor at present." Harry scowled. "Ponce."

"Language." Hermione remonstrated, more because it was expected than anything else. "You know if you're not careful you're going to end up calling him that to his face."

"Ponce or Lucy?" asked Harry cheekily.

She laughed and poked him in the arm. Neville waved madly at them from a row just ahead and they made their way to him, sliding into the seats next to him and beside Lavender and Parvati.

"No Hannah?" Hermione looked around just in case she'd missed her.

"She's keeping Sue company." Neville said evenly.

But Hermione could sense the disgruntlement he was repressing and lifted her eyebrows knowingly.

Neville flushed. "We'd said this was going to be a date but…" he shrugged away the rest of the sentence.

Harry gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "It'll get better. Sue just needs to get some confidence back after the letter thing. That was nasty."

"I hope you're right." Neville said. "It's not that I don't understand, it's just Hannah and I haven't had a date just the two of us since the second task."

"Here come the teams!" Someone yelled excitedly.

They turned their attention to cheering and clapping as the teams strode out onto the field and took to the skies as they were announced.

Neville thrust two thumbs up as Ginny buzzed them. "GOOD LUCK!"

"How much money do you have riding on this with Zabini?" asked Harry amused.

"Enough." Neville admitted sheepishly.

Hermione shook her head. Betting! She pursed her lips with disapproval and kept her gaze on the match as Harry and Neville quietly spoke about tactics. She bit her lip. She was regretting not bringing a book.

Harry shifted beside her and bumped her slightly. She turned inquisitively and he leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"The snitch is up by the Slytherin stands."

Hermione frowned and squinted in the general direction. She couldn't see anything! How had Harry seen it?

"Shiny objects." He said with a deadpan tone.

She slapped his arm and smiled at him affectionately. "Harry?"

"Hmmm?" Harry blew out a frustrated breath as Draco feinted and fooled Ginny into following him into a fruitless dive well away from where the snitch was lurking.

"I'm thinking I'm not going to take the potion." Hermione said in a rush. "I want to do it properly."

It took a moment for Harry to connect the dots on what she was talking about but his expression cleared and he shrugged.

"Meditation is better according to all the theory." He said.

"Exactly." Hermione agreed. "And I want to do it right. There's no rush is there?"

Harry shook his head. "I thought it'd be good for us to have something to do together and we are so…" he smiled his shy smile, the one that reminded her for all of the changes in his life, he was still Harry.

A yell went up and they both dragged their attention back to the action on the field. Hermione looped her arm through Harry's and leaned against him. Maybe she didn't need the book after all.

o-O-o

Harry sipped on the butter beer that Fred had sneaked into his hand and watched as the Gryffindor Common Room partied in celebration.

The cup had been given to their extremely proud Head of House and Harry wouldn't put it past his Aunt Minnie to be happily ensconced in her private rooms polishing the silver trophy and raising a toast to it with a dram or two of whiskey.

He gazed around the room. He felt slightly awkward being there. He'd rarely been back to the tower since he and Sirius had moved in to their own suite of rooms. Apart from a couple of occasions to see Ron and the one memorable trip to Hermione's dorm room that had gone down in Hogwarts' history, Harry hadn't been by very much at all.

Some of it, he mused, was his own reticence at being around crowds of people. Even now, tucked into a corner seating group with Ron holding court retelling the story of the match to a captivated Lavender and Parvati one side of him, and Hermione chattering away to Neville on the other, he was too aware that everyone kept throwing surreptitious glances in their direction.

Of course, he might just be paranoid.

Just because he was visiting, it didn't mean he was the centre of attention, and wasn't it arrogant to think that he was especially when Ron, a key member of the cup-winning team, was right there? Harry repressed the urge to sigh and instead sipped his butter beer.

Alright, maybe he wasn't the centre of attention, he still felt awkward though.

Like he didn't belong in the Gryffindor Common Room anymore.

Harry tried to dismiss the thought and watched as Ron gestured with his bottle demonstrating a save he'd made. Ron had been a hero at the hoops. He'd made save after save after save. It had allowed the Gryffindor chasers to rack up a high score and the game had finished 260-250 to Gryffindor when Draco had mis-timed grabbing the snitch.

He tried to listen to Ron's tale but his mind kept dwelling on the feeling of not belonging that was getting stronger with every moment he stayed there. At least he was due to leave soon because of his curfew anyway…

It wasn't just the length of time he'd been away from Gryffindor or the way some people were staring, Harry thought tiredly, it was also the knowledge that in truth his power levels and training were pulling him away from his peers – from his friends. In class, Hermione and some of the Ravenclaws still outdid him where the theory was concerned but nobody could touch him on the practical side. He usually managed complex spell work in a matter of moments. It made him different and he hated it. At least Hermione was top of the class for the fourth year material and had, thanks to her helping him with the tournament, also mastered some fifth and sixth year spells. It eased something in him to know he wasn't completely leaving her behind.

If he hadn't promised Sirius he'd do his best…

If he didn't need to be his best to survive the tournament…

He couldn't go back.

He would just have to deal with the changes his power and his training wrought when he returned to Hogwarts for his fifth year. If he returned…

His mouth pressed into a thin line. He was determined Tom wasn't going to win another victory but the reality was that he was still a long way off knowing how to defeat his nemesis. But he was certain that the next time they met, it would be over one way or another. In fact, he felt the inevitability of a confrontation sooner rather than later deep down in his bones.

Harry sighed and took another gulp of his drink.

A flash of red in the corner of his vision had him frowning and he turned his head just in time to see Ginny slipping out of the portrait hole. He fidgeted for a long moment before turning to inform Ron – only to find Ron immersed in a snog session with Lavender. Parvati had disappeared.

Harry winced. He really didn't need such an up close view of his best friend's tongue…

"You should go talk to Ginny." Hermione whispered in Harry's ear, her breath skating over his skin.

Harry looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Who better than you? You're a seeker. You know how she's feeling." Hermione whispered.

"We could both go." Harry pointed out, careful to keep his own voice low.

Hermione shook her head and jerked it pointedly toward where Neville was staring despondently into his butter beer. Hermione would obviously deal with Neville and Harry was nominated to deal with Ginny. He squeezed Hermione's hand gently. Her compassion and generosity was one of the things he loved about her.

He set his beer down and slipped out of his seat. He wished he had the map but Moody still had it. He hoped Ginny hadn't gone far – Hogwarts wasn't safe if someone was masquerading as a student. He got through the portrait door without anyone stopping him and paused as he found Ginny immediately.

Ginny glanced up from her position hunched up by the wall near to the portrait door. She flushed bright red and made to get up but Harry waved her back down and lowered himself to the floor beside her.

He nudged his glasses back up his nose. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ginny shrugged and looked down at her feet. "I messed up."

"How?" asked Harry gently.

Ginny's gaze flashed to his in disbelief. "I didn't catch the snitch!"

"No," Harry agreed, "Draco had the edge on you since he saw it first and has a faster broom. But you pushed him; you were right behind him when he grabbed it and he knew if he didn't get it, you would. He made the choice to catch it despite knowing the score. He knew if he didn't, you'd catch it and they'd lose by a massive amount and not just ten. You forced his hand because you were on his tail. You did good."

She frowned but her gaze seemed contemplative. "I thought a successful seeker was meant to catch the snitch."

"Or force their opponent into making a mistake." Harry corrected. "Sometimes the score is even and it's a direct race. Sometimes it's not and it's more complicated. Draco needed to time catching it correctly or they'd lose, and he misjudged it. At the World Cup, Viktor knew his team would never catch-up with the Irish – their chasers just didn't have it in them – so he chose to end it knowing his catch would mean defeat not winning."

"I never looked at being a seeker that way." Ginny murmured, wrapping her arms around her knees and hugging them to her.

"Well, you kind of want to be a chaser really, right?" Harry pointed out. "And you really helped with that out there today. A lot more than I would have done because I don't have the same understanding of chasing that you do."

Ginny gave a small smile. "I was so busy helping the chasers, I forgot about the snitch."

Harry bumped her shoulder with his own. "So you won't make that mistake again."

She grimaced but nodded. "At least you know your place is safe next year."

If he survived. Harry shook himself. He had to stop thinking that way.

"Well, you never know," Harry joked, "we might both get shown up some kind of Quidditch prodigy." He smiled at her. "You're a shoo-in though for Angelina's place on the chaser line."

Her grip on her knees relaxed and she shifted position, her shoulders dropping as she grinned at him. "Thank you." She glanced back at the portrait hole. "I'm sorry to drag you away from everyone."

Harry shrugged. "Parties aren't really my thing plus your brother and Lavender…"

"Say no more." She said hurriedly, pretending a full body shudder.

Harry grinned at her.

"I think I'm going to tell Fred to go ahead and write to Mum about Ron." Ginny pondered out loud. "If it were any of us acting the way he is he'd go spare."

Harry figured it was probably just Ginny Ron would have issues with but he nodded anyway.

"Well, if you're not upset at leaving the party, I'm sorry I dragged you away from Hermione." Ginny said.

"Actually she was the one who sent me after you." Harry informed her briskly.

Ginny blushed and looked away. "She's a really good friend."

"Yes," said Harry with proud contentment, "she really is."

Ginny regarded him for a long moment and just as he began to feel uncomfortable, she began to speak.

"I've never really apologised for behaving the way I did, have I?"

"Yes, you did." Harry frowned.

"Not about Hermione," Ginny contradicted him quickly, "I know I apologised about that. No, I mean, about how I was with you. How I was at the beginning of the year before the whole thing with Hermione."

Harry felt as though his tongue was tied in a knot. He had no idea what to say to her.

"I am sorry, Harry." Ginny said sincerely.

He jerked his head in a nod of acknowledgement. "It's OK…"

"No, it's not." Ginny said. "I was terrible." She shook her head. "I wasn't very much of a friend." She sighed. "You know Hermione told me that it was more likely that you'd choose someone who was a friend to go out with and…and I didn't believe her. I thought she was just warning me off, you know?"

Harry couldn't speak again, unsure what to say.

"But she was right." Ginny continued, clearly not needing his input anyway. "I see you and her together and…and it works because you're friends more than anything else."

"I know she likes me for me." Harry said quietly. He fidgeted with the laces on his shoes. "I can't imagine being with anyone else."

Ginny nodded quickly, a blush stealing over her cheeks again. "You make a great couple." She paused. "Matt's asked me on a practice date."

Matt as in Matthew Inglebee.

"Is Lydia OK with that?" asked Harry, wondering if it was going to cause problems with Ginny's friendship with the other girl.

"Yeah," Ginny grinned, "she prodded Matt into it, I think, because his friend Albert asked her out."

Harry refrained from shaking his head at the antics of the lower year students. His year didn't exactly hold any moral high ground with all the soap opera break-ups and get-togethers that had happened.

"I like Matt." Ginny admitted quietly.

"So, go for it." Harry encouraged her. He nudged her shoulder again. "I promise I won't tell Ron."

Ginny smiled at him and nudged him back. "Thanks, Harry. You're a good friend." She hesitated again before rushing the words out. "I hope you think I'm a better friend too now."

"I do." Harry hastened to reassure her.

The quiet pad of paws had Harry turning his head and he wasn't surprised to find Padfoot walking around the corner. He cast a quick tempus charm and grimaced at the time. No wonder Sirius had come looking for him. He was past the time he'd said he'd be back.

Padfoot shifted into Sirius as Ginny and Harry scrambled to their feet.

"Sorry," Harry said quickly, "I know I'm late."

"It was my fault," said Ginny, "he was giving me a pep talk for missing the snitch."

Sirius held up both hands and smiled reassuringly. "Apologies accepted."

Harry turned to Ginny, feeling awkward again. "Can you let Hermione know Sirius came for me and I'll meet her as usual tomorrow?"

Ginny nodded, her red hair flying everywhere. "I will. Thanks again, Harry." She mumbled the password to the Fat Lady, who was glaring at Sirius, and disappeared into the tower.

Sirius slung an arm around Harry's shoulders and they fell into a comfortable pace as they walked back to their own quarters.

"So," Sirius began, a teasing lilt to his tone, "sitting out with a girl who isn't your girlfriend? If I didn't overhear you talking about her going out with Matt I might have been a little worried."

Harry shot him a look. "Hermione sent me out to talk to her."

"Very trusting girl, your girlfriend." Sirius continued to tease.

"I'm not interested in anyone else." Harry said with a shrug. "She knows that."

Sirius hummed. "You're a good boyfriend and a good friend, Pronglet. It was a good thing you did back there with Ginny."

"She's not bad when she's not being all stalkerish." Harry admitted.

Sirius gave a bark of laughter as they reached the portrait guarding their door. "High praise indeed."

They walked into the cosy warmth and Harry felt the tension drain out of him. He really did love having his own rooms. It was going to be difficult going back to the dorms in his fifth year.

"You alright, Pronglet?" asked Sirius.

Harry turned around and found his father standing just inside the door looking at him with concern. "I'm fine," he immediately said to reassure him, "I just…" he sighed and rubbed his head tiredly, "it feels odd being in the tower now? I was just thinking that it's going to be weird next year."

"And?" prompted Sirius, guessing that there was more that was bothering him.

"And I guess I was wondering if I'll fit in." Harry admitted. He slumped back against the dining table. "I'm miles ahead on practical work and…then there's Quidditch. They won without me." He ducked his head, shamefaced at the pettiness of hating that they had won without him.

Sirius crossed the space between them and tugged him into a quick hug before ruffling his hair and easing back as though knowing Harry wouldn't tolerate the comfort very long. "It's only natural to feel left out. When I was banned from Quidditch, I hated that they won games without me and I didn't even want to play."

His confession made Harry feel a touch better.

"Maybe you should spend some more time with Hermione and Ron over there next term?" suggested Sirius. "Minnie won't mind as long as you're not using the girls' dorm as the way in…"

Harry snorted.

"…and it'll get you comfortable being there again."

"Maybe you're right." Harry admitted, stepping away and stopping as he caught sight of the map on the table. "Moody brought the map back?" His fingers touched the battered parchment carefully.

Sirius nodded, accepting the change in subject although it was obvious he wanted to say something more. "Neither Moody nor Snape have managed to catch any of the students not being exactly who they're supposed to be." He frowned. "Remus can't say for certain that Peter doesn't know a way around the map and neither can I. Either way checking the map now is pretty pointless when they could have gone completely and have plans to sneak someone back in after Easter." He pointed at it. "You can take it back for the rest of term. We'll take it to Bulgaria with us and have Remus take a look at it."

Harry nodded, happy to have the map back in his possession if not with the news that the map checks had been a pointless exercise. "I'm going to head to bed."

"Try not to worry, Pronglet." Sirius advised, alluding back to their previous conversation. "Things will work out."

Harry attempted a smile but as he made for the stairs he couldn't help thinking that his life was never that simple.

6 th April 1995

"…and I have the latest plans from Tomas on the security for the wedding in the folder." Clara tapped it for emphasis. "They've provided the general layout of the Minister's home which is great and gives us some idea of how we can ensure we close the gaps."

Remus nodded, surprised at Bogdan's generosity again that he had opened up his official home for the wedding and was allowing such sensitive security information to be shared with them. He wasn't disregarding the honour he was being afforded. But then as well as he got along with Bogdan, Dora had hit it off with Hilde even more so, and Bogdan's wife was a force of nature.

"They've suggested we team up the lycanthrope guards." Patrick said cheerfully. "Gregor's putting together a detail and I'll take a look at it then. It makes sense to have one of theirs with one of ours and since Gregor's comfortable with that arrangement we should go with it."

Another honour since it simply wasn't done for an Alpha to cede territorial duties to another pack and yet Gregor was allowing it for Remus's.

Remus reached for his glass of water, taking a long cool sip to lubricate his suddenly overly dry mouth. "That's good news." He set the folder to one side. "Anything more on the wedding?"

Clara looked down at her ubiquitous notebook. She tucked a strand of red hair behind an ear and sighed. "We've got a room ready for Dora's mother and father. They're due to arrive by portkey first thing in the morning around six at the Ministry. I understand you're going to pick them up?"

"I will." Remus said evenly, hiding his own discomfort at the thought of seeing Andromeda and Ted for the first time since they'd broken the news of the baby and plans for marriage.

It had been a hell of a fight between mother and daughter. They'd reconciled over mirrors and floos; in long letters that had had Dora weeping and laughing. It had been emotional for Dora losing her mother's regard and only Ted's steadfast support had seen Dora through it. Even now, he knew Dora was uncertain of her mother's reactions and was dreading the visit.

He wasn't looking forward to it himself. He had deserved more than Ted's disappointed glare and Andromeda's scathing dressing-down. He'd probably feel better if Ted or Andy had simply cursed him or punched him. He deserved it.

He had known as soon as he'd given in to the first kiss what was going to happen and he hadn't stopped it, grateful for the comfort the intimacy of sex had given him in the wake of Skeeter's article and the fallout. He'd also known it had been a mistake. He'd tried to get Dora to see reason the day after when they'd returned from the Wizengamot but she had been intractable, unwilling to see his reasons. He'd hurt her, Remus told himself briskly. He'd hurt her and he'd deserved the cold shoulder she'd given him for a month.

But the baby changed everything.

Truthfully, Dora had been hesitant, truly not wanting him to be trapped, but he'd assured her that he did want to marry her. It had been a kind lie – he did truly care for her, he would never have slept with her if he hadn't, but the want to marry…that had been the lie and still was.

No…he really wasn't looking forward to playing host to his imminent in-laws but Sirius had been keen to get them out of Britain and away from the inevitable fallout of the announcements that had been made to the Wizengamot earlier that day. Remus couldn't blame him for that. The wireless had been filled with commentary already and he had eventually switched it off rather than continue to listen to it.

"Nothing else on the wedding from me." Patrick chipped in, drawing Remus's attention back to the meeting.

"Pack news?" inquired Remus delicately, hearing Patrick's unspoken hint that there was something to speak about.

"Everyone is generally happy," Patrick began, "Tonks is very easy-going so that has helped everybody feel comfortable with welcoming her. A lot of us are excited about the cub…" he grinned as Remus grimaced at the term, "and we're all enjoying the fact that our Alpha is here and that Harry and Sirius are going to visit with the wedding."

"But?" prompted Remus.

"But there is some unrest." Clara stepped in briskly. "Sian is disgruntled and some are listening."

"What's she saying that's resonating?" Remus wasn't unsurprised at the news; Sian had been less than welcoming to Dora since their arrival. Patrick and Clara had seemingly helped to curtail the worst of her jealousy and spite but the resurgence as the wedding drew closer wasn't unexpected.

Clara and Patrick exchanged a telling glance.

Remus heaved a sigh. "This is going to be one of those pack things that I don't understand isn't it?"

"Sian thinks Dora shouldn't be regarded as pack even though she's your fiancée and the mother of your child." Clara explained. "That's resonating with those who'd like to keep the pack to wolves."

"The pack already has Harry and Sirius." Remus said exasperated. "It's not an exclusively wolf pack anyway."

"Well you know how Sian feels about Sirius and Harry." Patrick quipped, a smirk softening the truth of his words. "She wants a wolf pack." He shrugged. "Most of us accept that your pack began with Harry and Sirius and accept them as pack-mates. I don't deny I'm a little antsy about their arrival because they're your human betas. But then from everything you've said they won't challenge me for the position on the wolf side so I'm teaching my wolf to be cool with it. Some of us aren't so great at compartmentalising or drawing a distinction between the wolf instinct and our own intellect."

Clara nodded in agreement. "Sian is targeting those most likely to agree with her. The rest are giving her short shrift."

"Anyone who has a problem with Harry, Sirius and Dora being part of the pack are more than welcome to find another more suited to their tastes." Remus snapped out, frustrated and feeling defensive.

Clara and Patrick both subsided into their chairs and lowered their gazes, allowing Remus's wolf to feel their submission and acceptance of his words.

Remus took a steadying breath. The moments where his wolf would make himself known were growing the more time he spent with the pack. It worried him that he was losing himself to the wolf but at the same time there was something settling within him; a discontent that was being erased day by day.

"We'll take that message back." Patrick said seriously. "It will deter most people from giving Sian the time of day."

"I'll talk with Sian." Clara offered. "If she wants to stay, she has to settle down and accept your choice of mate."

"Which brings us onto the second part of what she's been saying." Patrick murmured.

Remus's eyes narrowed at his beta. "What?"

"That even if Dora and the cub stay, you should take a second wolf-mate, or at least keep your marriage open to the possibility of liaisons with the pack women." Patrick continued, fulfilling his role as beta to not be afraid to give Remus the bad news.

"Bugger." Remus swore and slumped back in the comfortable leather chair. It wasn't unheard of for Alphas to have free reign with the women in the pack – or the men for that matter – Greyback hadn't been that discriminating over who he screwed. Gregor and Robert were happily married but Remus was aware that wasn't true for the others.

"It's gotten some mixed reactions." Clara inserted smoothly. "Some are traditional and believe a marriage is sacrosanct; others, well, some of the single women joined because they were attracted to the idea of you as their Alpha and mate. They're bitterly disappointed in the same way Sian is that you've chosen someone else outside the pack to settle down with."

Remus bit back the words that he hadn't truly chosen at all since it would be a lie on several levels even if that was the way he felt.

"I'm making traditional marriage vows." Remus stated firmly. "Dora will be my wife and I will honour and respect her with fidelity."

Patrick grinned at him. "You're a good man, Remus." He puffed up his chest. "More for me then."

Remus laughed at his beta's antics.

Clara smiled widely too. "We'll let the others know." She got to her feet and Patrick followed.

Remus dismissed them with a simple nod and sighed as they left him alone. The study at the Black Farm had become his refuge; somewhere for him to retreat when the situation with Dora became too much or the pack felt claustrophobic. But as he looked around the comfortable cosy room, shadowed and lit alternatively with the flickering flames in the hearth, Remus felt loneliness creep into his soul.

He missed the School House. More, he missed Griffin House. He missed Sirius and Harry so much some days his bones ached with it.

Especially Sirius.

The two of them spoke daily on the mirror but it wasn't the same. He'd gotten used to having his friend back in his life again and it felt far too like losing him again for it to sit easily with Remus.

"You haven't lost him," Remus told himself sternly, "he's alive and he's well and he's not imprisoned in Azkaban. You just talked to him!"

He rolled his eyes before closing them. He kneaded his forehead gently.

"And now you're losing your mind." Remus muttered. "Talking with yourself."

He sighed. He had made his bed and now he had to lie in it. He focused his mind on business enough to double check that his work for the day was done. He tidied his desk, banked the flames and locked up the study on his way up to the master suite.

He hesitated by the door next to his and with a shake of his head as though to dislodge the nerves that had set up home there, he knocked gently.

Dora opened the door a moment later and ushered him inside, darting a look down the hallway to see if anyone had noticed his entry. He was amused at her discretion. They were the only ones living in the family wing.

He stood a touch awkwardly inside her sitting room. The Blacks had somewhat conveniently created a suite of rooms for the Lord and a suite of rooms for the Lady. They were connected via an inner door but both could be kept distinct if necessary. He and Dora had taken the decision to sleep apart until their marriage when they'd arrived. Perhaps it was closing the door once the horse had bolted but Remus was glad of the privacy his own rooms afforded him. He wasn't looking forward to losing that once the wedding had taken place.

"I just wanted to check in." Remus said hesitantly. They hadn't seen each other since lunch time. "Gilby said at dinner that you weren't feeling well?"

Dora grimaced and waved him into a seat as she settled back onto the sofa. "I have no idea why they call it morning sickness."

"Is there anything I can do?" asked Remus feeling guilty and concerned.

Dora shook her hair – strangely in its natural state – and waved a hand at the discarded tray of food the elf had presumably brought her. "I've managed to eat some soup and crackers." She sighed. "You know our wedding breakfast is going to be fantastic but if sprog here keeps up his routine I'm not going to be able to taste a morsel of it."

Remus reached over and picked up her hand. "I'll have whatever you end up with."

Dora smiled appreciatively at him, her grey eyes alight with affection. "That's sweet."

He smiled back at her.

Her expression turned mischievous. "So did Clara and Patrick finally spill the beans about the rest of the women feeling all bereft of your manly charms?"

Remus rolled his eyes expressively. "I have no intention of sleeping with anyone but you for the rest of my life."

Dora's face brightened. "I'd understand if…"

Remus waved her tentative offer away. "We're going to be married, Dora. My own parents were very happily married all of their lives by being dedicated to each other and their family. I want that."

"Me too." Dora admitted. She sighed. "I guess I just feel a touch guilty about trapping you into this."

"You didn't trap me." Remus denied it automatically although a small voice in his head was agreeing with her. He cared for her, he thought to himself sternly; he truly cared for her and she cared for him. They were friends. There were worst starts to a marriage, worst foundations than theirs.

"That's not what Sian thinks." Dora said dryly.

"Sian can get stuffed." Remus said decisively.

She laughed and he was pleased that he'd managed to raise her spirits a little.

"I should get to bed." Remus said, standing.

Dora stood up again. "You could stay." She offered, a hopeful smile softening her features into a welcome that tempted Remus.

He shook his head. "I have to leave early to collect your parents from the Ministry and I'd like to do that with a clear conscience."

"Right." Her face crumpled, first with disappointment and then with horror at remembering the imminent arrival of her mother and father.

"It'll be alright, Dora." Remus assured her. "Andy loves you and Ted's been very good about this whole business."

"I know," Dora rallied and smiled at him, "you get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. She moved into his space and deepened the kiss. He was so tempted to wrap himself around her and take comfort in her. Remus drew away reluctantly, reminding himself that it had been that kind of thinking that had led them to the current state of affairs.

"I'll see you in the morning." Remus said gently. "'Night, Dora."

"'Night, Wolfy." Dora replied with a hint of her old spirit.

He used the connecting door to walk into his own rooms and for a long moment he stood in the dark, his mind racing. He shook himself. He had an early start and he had absolutely no wish to greet the parents of the woman he'd knocked up on little or no sleep. But even as he readied himself for bed, he had a feeling sleep would be a long time coming.

o-O-o

7 th April 1995

Bill dropped the latest lot of brooms onto the transportation device and watched them zap away. He shook his head. By his reckoning, that batch brought the number of brooms found to an astonishing one hundred and eleven. Some of them were beautiful old classics, some of them were broken and unusable, and some of them were the very latest version. Bill couldn't help but wonder at the latter. Were some of the kids so spoilt rotten that they didn't notice when they lost their top of the line broom?

He shook his head sadly.

Perhaps it had been out of necessity but one thing his parents had taught him was to value every galleon, sickle and knut he earned, and by extension everything he bought with said money. It was a philosophy that had won him points with the goblins.

He made his way back down the aisle he was clearing and started in on a stack of books. He absently separated them into old and valuable, usable, broken needing repair and beyond hope.

He had found himself wondering again whether he'd return to Gringotts after his service was finished, his mind drifting back to the conversation he'd had with Sirius the previous Summer. In many ways, Bill mused, he had only become stronger in his conviction that the life he had previously planned for himself was no longer the one that he would live.

He watched Sirius and Harry; he watched the Potter alliance; and, more than anything he wanted to be part of the future they were building for their world, to be an equal voice in shaping that future.

An equal voice.

That was important.

Because he had a voice in it already. Sirius and Harry both took time to ask for his opinion; considered his thoughts; included his suggestions as part of their plans. He knew he was lucky that their view of service was not subservience, but active and vigorous participation in making the House he was sworn to serve a success. Sirius had regular meetings one-on-one with Bill; Harry sought him out more than his own brothers did. He was tremendously lucky that they ignored the actual reality of his position, of the Ancient and Noble House of Weasley's position, and simply followed their own path. But he wanted, more than ever, to have earned a real position of authority; of responsibility.

It was probably time to take up Sirius's offer to speak with him about his future and map out some kind of plan. He wanted to get his family seat back on the Wizengamot. It might take years so Bill's focus had to be on building up the alliances and reputation needed to win a nomination. He wondered if curse-breaking was something he could incorporate into that; there was a lingering sense of duty urging him to complete his contract with Gringotts.

The door to the room opened and Bill barely paid any attention knowing the magic wouldn't allow anyone but those who were allowed to enter.

"Bill!" Caro's call echoed through the vast space.

He raised his wand and sent up a spray of red sparks as a reply.

She found him a few minutes later. "Wow, what time did you get up? You look like you got an early start!"

Bill flipped a pristine and unused copy of Gilderoy Lockhart's book on werewolves to the 'beyond hope' pile. He shot her a teasing grin. "Maybe you're late."

Caro snorted and tossed him the newspaper. "Five minutes," she admitted, "but I had a good excuse. Got caught up reading Skeeter's latest article." She rolled up the sleeves of her plain blue robe and took over the book sorting as Bill unfolded the paper and began to read.

"HOUSE OF BLACK SEALS ALLIANCE WITH WEREWOLVES WITH MARRIAGE!

BABY BOOM FOR THE HOUSE OF BLACK!

The April Wizengamot session started with a joyous announcement from Lord Black concerning its Werewolf Steward Remus Lupin and the daughter of Andromeda Tonks nee Black, Nymphadora; a marriage!

Nymphadora Tonks was assigned back in January as protection detail for Remus Lupin following public unrest after the details of his accidental attack on Lords Potter and Black were maliciously leaked through an unsuspecting press as part of a vicious attempt by the former Lord Wenlock (now residing in Azkaban) to derail the new Creature laws. In February, the pair went abroad to continue Lord Potter's work in building a sanctuary for all werewolves. 

It appears time spent in each other's company has led to a wondrous whirlwind romance between the two culminating in the announcement of a spring wedding to be held on April 17 th in Bulgaria where Lupin is a known close friend of the current Bulgarian Minister Bogdan Oblansk.

Lord Black made this official comment: "I am tremendously thrilled that a wizard I have long considered to be a brother will formally become part of our family and an official son of the House of Black, and, of course, that my cousin has found happiness."

Of course, the marriage of the pair would not have been allowed under the previous Werewolf Laws. Minister Cornelius Fudge remarked: "It is truly a wondrous day for our society when we can acknowledge that our new laws are fair and equitable for all. Government should not interfere with the personal lives of our citizens in matters of the heart and we celebrate this union as one of the first for those Wizards and Witches infected with Lycanthropy." 

Others are not on sanguine about this societal shift. Lord Selwyn commented: "While the Steward of the Houses of Black and Potter is a learned and knowledgeable wizard in addition to his unfortunate status as a lycanthrope, we cannot help but feel he is an exception to the rule. Perhaps this union will be the first but I rather feel it will and should be a rarity; how many lycanthropes have the control required to never bite or turn their loved one?"

Dolores Umbridge, currently serving as an Ambassador for the British Ministry abroad and original author of the old Werewolf laws, contacted this journalist to state in the most vulgar language possible that the planned union was "disgusting, abhorrent and abnormal." She also made comments regarding the lifespan of any progeny of the union which have been passed to the DMLE for further investigation. 

Speaking of progeny, it was a somewhat sheepish Lord Black who admitted in his announcement that the love-struck couple had "jumped the wand rather" and a new addition to the House of Black was already on its way with an expected birth in the Summer. He reported that the baby has already been confirmed as free of lycanthropy, and Nymphadora is blooming in her pregnancy. With the news announced some months ago that Narcissa Malfoy nee Black is also expecting her second child, it would seem that the House of Black is splendidly resurgent and will have much to celebrate in the coming months. We look forward to covering what will be the society wedding of the year!"

Bill huffed out an exasperated sigh at Skeeter's obsequious tone but nodded in relief. "It looks like it went better than expected."

"I'd like to know just how much Sirius had to pay Rita for her to spin it that way." Caro remarked.

Bill kept silent. He knew something had happened between Sirius, Skeeter, Bones and Moody just after the second task but he wasn't aware of the details and he figured it was better for his health to ignore it.

"I'm glad for Remus and Tonks though; they don't need the stress." Caro continued. "I'm pretty sure they'll still get a heap of Howlers anyway."

She probably wasn't wrong, Bill mused. His father had only just managed to stop his mother from sending one after they'd been told. At least it was out in the open with the announcement though. The whole imminent marriage and baby had been the worst kept secret of British wizarding society ever since Tonks had started sending out invites.

Bill refolded the Prophet and put it aside. He started to help again. "What do you think about it?" He asked. "I mean, honestly?"

Caro shot his a suspicious look and waved her wand at him. "Why are you asking?"

Bill shrugged, the movement pulling his black t-shirt taut – he refused to wear robes for physical work. "Maybe I just want your view of the society wedding of the year?"

They both smirked at each other.

Caro sneaked another peek at him as they settled back to the task of sorting the books. "Honestly, I guess my view is skewed because I know them both…" she frowned as she considered the question seriously.

He liked that about Caro. She always took the time to properly answer a question even when she didn't fully understand why he was asking it.

"I can see why most people will think her being with a werewolf is squicky. I mean, some of the young girls may think it tragically romantic in a Beauty and Beast kind of way, but there's no denying that she's living with a man who is carrying a horrifying disease. Maybe a bite or a scratch when they're, uh, intimate won't infect her but the risk…" Caro sighed. "She's got to either be fearless about it or just head over heels for Remus."

"I think it's the latter." Bill said. Tonks had pursued Remus as soon as she'd had a signal that he was looking for a relationship.

"Me too." Caro agreed. "And I understand her attraction to Remus as a wizard and a man; he's an attractive bloke, powerful even though he hides it behind his mild-mannered steward persona; knowledgeable and very intelligent. And he's funny. He has the driest sense of humour of anyone I've ever known. And, of course, there's his friendship with Sirius and Harry. It's sweet and adorable how much he loves them, and…"

"And I may need a sick bucket." Bill joked. He glanced at Caro wonderingly. She had joked about fancying Remus and Sirius in the past; had even flirted a bit with both of them. Maybe it had been more truth than fiction?

"All I'm saying is that I see the attraction from Tonks' viewpoint." Caro said firmly. "And so because I also know Remus, I know he'll take every precaution and be extremely careful never to scratch Tonks ever, never mind bite her, and while I do tend to find the whole being with a werewolf thing squicky in the abstract, I can see and understand why it's not a consideration for Tonks with Remus." She placed another book in the repair pile. "On a social political level, I worry that young girls might romanticise this particular situation too much and find themselves out of their depth with werewolves who don't have the same sense of honour or care that Remus has."

It was a good point even if it did come close to parroting Selwyn. But Bill figured it wouldn't hurt to raise it with Sirius as something they needed to consider in the political arena going forward.

"As far as the unplanned sprog is concerned," Caro shrugged, "it's their business that they had sex and forgot to take precautions. I think everyone's sex life is private. Society should keep their noses out of it." She sighed. "I guess the thing that jars with me most from what I've overheard so far is that Tonks is being singled out for criticism. But then I'm not really surprised that there's a double standard which paints the woman as a hussy who's trapped the poor bloke into marriage."

Bill nodded. "Harry cornered me a couple of weeks ago and asked me what was acceptable and not about sex before marriage and babies out of wedlock in the wizarding world since he was getting a lot of conflicting messages from reactions to the news just in the Potter alliance circle." He frowned at a book and set it on the old and valuable stack carefully.

"I can understand why since he's been mostly raised in the muggle world." Caro agreed. "As a muggleborn it's not easy traversing the culture. Normally you don't even realise you've put your foot in it until your foot's already in it and sinking fast." She stopped sorting for a moment and rubbed her wrist. "What did you tell him?"

Bill grimaced and paused himself. He crossed his arms. "You have to promise never to tell my mother."

Caro grinned at him. "It's hardly likely that your mother and I will ever speak enough to…"

"Caro!"

"Fine!" Caro raised her wand as though taking a vow. "Promise."

"I told Harry that he had to remember that the wizarding world would always react a bit like my mother where sex and marriage were concerned." Bill admitted chagrined. "Namely that as far as my mother, and therefore wizarding society in general is concerned, sex and babies don't happen outside of a marriage, and they happily have hypocritical self-imposed amnesia of any sex they had before they got a ring on their finger."

Caro's eyes widened and she burst into laughter. She bent over double before heaving herself back into a standing position. "Oh, that's priceless!"

Bill sighed but he couldn't blame her. "Harry commented the view was very old-fashioned."

"It is." Caro agreed cheerfully, resuming her book sorting. "And let me guess; the man is supposed to have the requisite amount of experience to make it wonderful for his wife on their wedding night – never mind how he's supposed to get that experience if all the women are meant to remain pure and innocent?"

"Nobody said it was realistic." Bill commented dryly. "Like I said to Harry, most wizards andwitches have some experience by the time they get married these days, although some do wait for the wedding to go the whole way, but the decision is a personal one." And one Harry didn't have to make for a while, Bill concluded in his own head.

"But society as a whole still paints the witch as morally deficient if she does decide to have a sex life outside of marriage." Caro shook her head. "The muggle world isn't that much better. It's just as patriarchal and male-biased. It's improving though all the time." She sighed. "I have to admit I was surprised at Andromeda Tonks. I thought she'd be more sympathetic."

Bill raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"Didn't she elope with her husband as a school-girl?" Caro pointed out.

"She did and it was huge scandal from what everyone remembers," Bill said, "but she ran off with Ted to escape getting trapped into a loveless arranged marriage and I get the impression Andy probably did wait for marriage for, um, you know."

"Ah." Caro grimaced.

Bill rubbed his nose with the back of one forearm. "I haven't said anything to anyone else but I overheard her and Ted arguing back when she and Tonks weren't speaking and she was upset rather than angry." He frowned. "She said because of the baby Tonks had effectively tied herself into marrying Remus just as though there was a marriage contract and she'd wanted Tonks to have a choice about who she married."

He also figured Andy was upset that Tonks' choices had unthinkingly made life politically difficult for Sirius after he had welcomed them back to the House of Black.

Caro pulled a small face; features distorting briefly before inclining her head to the side like her sparrow-form. "I get the impression that if they weren't getting married, jumping the wand with the baby wouldn't have been forgiven so easily. In the muggle world it wouldn't be such a big deal these days although some old biddies might disapprove."

"Harry mentioned Hermione had said something similar." Bill stretched, easing the kinks out of his back.

"I guess that's where I do get kind of get concerned." Caro said with a sigh. "I'm a little worried Tonks' so wild about him and he's…" she struggled to find a way to express herself but finally heaved out a sigh, "not so invested?"

Bill nodded slowly. It wasn't as though he hadn't had the same thought himself.

"Add to that most people are coming down on her like a tonne of bricks as though she was the only one who had sex…" Caro continued, disgusted.

"You can see why though." Bill said and had to take a quick step back from the furious glare Caro pointed in his direction. He raised his hand in surrender. "Look, all I'm saying is from the outside, she was the one pursuing him and suddenly she's pregnant and they're having to get married. You have to admit that to most people it looks like she set her cap at him and trapped him into it."

Caro wagged her wand at him. "That came direct from your mother, didn't it?"

"Told you she was a good barometer of what the general reaction usually is." Bill quipped. In fact, the Howler his father had intercepted had all but said the same thing but in stringent and harsh language.

"But you don't think that, do you?" Caro checked.

Bill shot her a look. "Give me some credit, would you?"

"Sorry." Caro said quickly. "It's just…I guess I'm more racked off than I thought about how everyone's blaming her when he could have kept it in his pants or remembered the charm himself."

"You're not wrong." Bill admitted. "Remus is as responsible as Tonks for the baby and he knows it too." He slapped another Lockhart book into the 'beyond hope' pile. "I hope for both their sakes the marriage works out."

"Yeah, me too."

"Changed your mind about coming with me then?" asked Bill lightly.

Caro gave a throaty laugh. "And miss out on the society wedding of the year?"

They grinned at each other.

"I'm surprised you didn't invite that pretty Veela who's following you around still." Caro said, a question lurking in the statement that Bill didn't ignore.

"She's still at school." Bill said firmly.

"She's of age, but I guess at least she won't have your Mum blaming her for breaking up your relationship with Alicia like she does me." Caro said dryly.

"She doesn't blame you." Bill said automatically. But inwardly he was wincing because his Mum had automatically placed the blame on Caro despite Bill's denials and he had a fair idea going to the wedding with Caro would mean that his Mum would continue to put two and two together and get five. He'd need to talk to her before the wedding; head her off. His split with Alicia had been very mutual and amicable.

Caro levitated a decrepit looking Hogwarts, A History. "Repair or bin?"

"Bin." Bill advised.

And they were done with the latest pile of books.

"Accio book storage trunks!" Caro called out.

The trunks arrived and one packing spell later and trip to the transportation device, the books were gone.

Caro eyed the next pile of junk with a weary eye; it was a towering stack of chairs. "Remind me why we're going through this room item by item and not just searching out something that looks like the Ravenclaw diadem?"

"Because we have no guarantee that You-Know-Who didn't transfigure it into something else or create a decoy?" Bill offered eventually.

She gave a huff. "You know Brooks has been insufferable since the Rat Squad caught Travers and Dolohov?"

He was a little thrown by the change in subject but figured she wanted a win to shove back in Brooks' face.

"Brooks is a wanker. The arrests didn't lead to much, did they?" Bill pointed out. "Dolohov and his frankly scarier sister were doing their own thing, and Travers ended up dead with his information old news." He shook his head remembering the latter. Moody was unrepentant at his mis-diagnosis and lack of concern over the prisoner's collapse during the interrogation.

"They did find that cottage in the Lake District." Caro retorted. "And they got the proof they needed to raid the Durmstrang ship."

"Both of which were abandoned by the Death Eaters well before the Squad showed up." Bill said.

"I can't believe Karkaroff was killed off." Caro said quietly, shoving a stray strand of hair back behind her ear.

Bill grimaced with disgust. Karkaroff had been badly tortured before he'd had his throat sliced open. "I can't believe they left him in his office for some poor kid to find." It had been pure chance that the Aurors had gotten to the office first.

"They're Death Eaters, Bill. I'm sure they didn't think anything about it at all." Caro said, grimacing as she started sorting the chairs in a similar way to the books. "I'm not going to lose sleep over them killing one of their own but it's a damn shame they took the vanishing cabinets with them, I would have liked a look at them. They're very rare."

Something tugged in his memory and Bill paused in examining a rather odd wooden chair painted a rather lurid green to chase after it. A half-formed picture formed in his head.

"Caro, I think we might have a vanishing cabinet in here somewhere." Bill said, trying to remember whereabouts it was.

"Yeah?" Her entire face brightened. "Where?"

Bill pursed his lips and turned slowly. "Over there." He pointed to his left. "It's a couple of rows back."

Caro gave a small cry of excitement and grabbed Bill's hand. "Come on!"

He rolled his eyes and let her drag him through the aisles. "I can't believe you're this excited about a piece of furniture."

She mock-punched his arm and continued dragging him. "I can't believe you remembered where you'd seen it in here." She slid him a considering look. "You should think about joining the Unspeakables when you finish your service with the House of Potter. Croaker would snap you up."

Bill rubbed his forehead. "I don't think that's going to be on the cards." He peered at the furniture they were passing, trying to find a landmark that would – ah! There. He pointed at a dilapidated wooden cabinet. "Is that it?"

"Why wouldn't it be on the cards?" asked Caro, tugging him over but turning to face him rather than cooing over the delights of their find.

"I've been thinking about the future and…" Bill shrugged, a touch embarrassed about speaking about his motivations. "The Weasleys are an Ancient and Noble House. If my Great-Grandfather hadn't gambled away our seat and the money, we might have been helping Harry and Sirius the way Richard Bones and Augusta Longbottom are helping instead of helping through service and friendship. If you believe the origin stories of the family magic, we took an oath just as they did to protect the wizarding world and I guess having seen Sirius and Harry put that oath into action, I want to do that too. I don't know whether I should continue with what I thought I wanted to do before or…" he sighed, "I just know that I want to make sure our world is safe."

"That's a lovely sentiment." Caro said seriously, without a hint of teasing.

A faint glow of light caught their attention.

Caro gasped and grabbed at Bill's arm. "Is that…"

Bill's eyes widened at the sight of the Weasley family totem atop the cabinet. The golden owl blinked back at him, almost proudly, and with a flare of its wings and a soft hoot, it disappeared…

And the Ravenclaw diadem sat where the owl had been a moment before.