Chapter 2 Learning More

Heavy steps could be heard coming towards the kitchen. Sirius quickly muttered the counterspell to the eavesdropping spell.

Cassius Malfoy walked back into the kitchen and moved to stand next to Moody who was in his usual seat, back to the wall, facing the door. He didn't look at any of them. If he was aware that they had heard his conversation with his aunt's portrait, he gave no outward sign. There was a moment of silence and just as Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth to, no doubt, offer Cassius Malfoy tea, Sirius spoke.

"I don't remember my mother ever saying 'I love you' to anyone."

"Oh, poor Cousin Sirius, did the Dementors take all your happy memories of home?" Cassius drawled, Harry suddenly wondered if the drawl was a genetically Malfoy thing. "If you hadn't been eavesdropping, you still wouldn't have heard her." Cassius continued, his left eyebrow arching slightly as he looked directly at Sirius. "I wouldn't read too much into it, she is as manipulative as when she was alive."

"Who was she talking about? Who is your husband?" Sirius looked quickly at Lupin and then back at Cassius.

"I would have thought you could figure that out, unless all the years in Azkaban did really affect your mind." Cassius answered and for the first time there was an edge in his voice.

Sirius glared at him. "Remus."

"Yes." The tone dared Sirius to challenge him.

"Remus?" Sirius turned to his friend. "Why didn't you tell me? Cassius Malfoy?"

"It…well, I did tell you I had a mate…I just couldn't tell you who. It's been a secret, in order to protect me from the Malfoys and other dark wizards. And an auror being married to a werewolf, it wouldn't have been good for Cassius and…" Remus trailed off. "I didn't want you to find out like this. I was going to tell you tonight after you had met him."

Mrs. Weasley tried to break the tension. "Well, Remus, I am sure we are very happy for you both. How long have you been…together?"

"Over eleven years." Remus smiled and looked at Cassius, who had resumed his investigation of the floor. "We mated ten years ago this winter." Harry could see the love in Remus' eyes as he looked at Cassius. Harry looked at Sirius and knew Sirius saw the same thing.

"Who's Apparating upstairs?" Cassius addressed the question to the floor.

"Oh, that must be Fred and George." Mrs. Weasley answered "They Apparate instead of walking two steps together." She sounded annoyed as she glanced up towards the ceiling.

Mr. Weasley arrived just then and was introduced to Cassius by Mrs. Weasley with the added information that he was Lupin's husband. Mr. Weasley looked surprised, but tried to cover. "Oh, always glad to meet a friend of Remus's or rather…" His ears started turning red.

"Thank you." Cassius answered smoothly. "How are things in Muggle Artifacts?"

"Fine, we had another report of exploding dustbins." Mr. Weasley paused "You must be the friend that found the old radio that Remus gave me the other week"

"Yes, I found it in the Forest of Dean when I was there looking for Black."

Sirius started. "What?"

"I'm one of the aurors assigned to find you. I'll be going to Tibet tomorrow to check out the rumors of your appearance."

"Huh, sending our best auror out of the country when we don't know where Voldemort is." Moody huffed.

"It's a waste of time. You were only rumored to be his second in command, after all – I told Fudge so yesterday."

"Didn't get suspended though?" Mad-Eye asked

Cassius shook his head. "If I have to meet with him again, I might, stupid git."

"Here, here." Fred and George came in. "Who are we talking about?"

Mrs. Weasley seated Cassius next to Lupin but he didn't look at him once during the whole meal. Harry, who was sitting across from Cassius, watched them carefully. Fred and George had started a conversation about something they had seen in Diagon Alley but Harry didn't listen.

Cassius ate with his left hand, eyes downcast, Harry sensed that it was awkward for him but it seemed natural. In fact, once Harry started to notice it, Cassius did everything with his left hand. Harry moved to look at Moody, on Cassius's right side and noticed the same thing. Both looked like they would have been more comfortable using their right hand. Then Harry remembered when Moody had cast the spell on him when he left Privet Drive, Moody had used his right hand to hold his wand.

"Professor Moody, are you left handed?" Harry addressed the question to the person he felt more comfortable asking.

Moody laughed "No, I am right handed. Care to explain, Cass?"

"Rule 31 – always keep your wand hand free when you are in an uncertain environment. Which for Moody is anywhere other than his house."

"So this is an uncertain environment for you, too?" Harry couldn't help asking. He knew it was probably a rude question.

"Well," Cassius looked up and Harry was met again with eyes that reminded him of someone, someone he had seen before. "Just between you and me," he leaned forward "I'm waiting for Sirius to hex me, he never liked me, even before today's news." He smiled slightly which warmed his eyes. Harry couldn't help smiling back. The eyes looked even more familiar, warmed with the smile.

"Sirius won't hex you." Lupin said as he looked at Sirius.

"I don't know – I might." But there was no real bite in Sirius's tone.

"Remember when you did the hex on Regulus and me so that we sprouted tentacles at Christmas dinner? I think we were 9, you would have been 13 or so."

"Ah...that was a good hex, I got grounded for a week afterwards. But it was worth it" Sirius smiled at the memory.

Cassius looked at Harry as if to say 'see what I mean?' Harry smiled and looked over at Sirius.

"If you had only hexed Regulus, I would agree, as it was I had tentacles for three days afterwards."

"I thought you and Regulus were friends?"

"No…we were always thrown together at holidays because of our age – I hated him."

"I couldn't tell."

"I had to be polite, otherwise…" Cassius looked back down at his plate. He started to eat again. The friendly atmosphere that had started to develop seemed to dissipate as the silence grew longer.

Sirius looked at Cassius with a puzzled expression. It seemed to Harry that Sirius really wanted to hate Cassius, he was a Malfoy after all, but if Lupin had chosen him as a mate, he couldn't be that bad. Sirius looked like he couldn't decide how to feel about Cassius.

Mad-Eye started up a conversation with Mr. Weasley about someone at the ministry and the rest of the dinner passed like usual.