The aftermath of Adeline's blowout was formidable- a hour later she was still crying, barely able to breathe between sobs. She tried to speak to the man next to her, but Severus simply held out a handkerchief, shaking his head; she began to calm down.

"I'm sorry." Adeline sniffled, taking the napkin and wiping her face. "I was an asshole."

He held out his hand for the cloth, Vanishing it mildly. "I'm glad you can see that."

"I shouldn't have been so rude to you."

"I'm aware."

"I am of the same mind I was before, you know."

Severus gave her a hard look, somewhere between amusement, frustration, and anger.

"You were months away from marrying Sirius Black and you won't even think about-"

"It's not like that, Severus, and you and I both know it." She was adamant, standing up so quickly her head began to spin- she sat back down slowly.

"You don't care for me?" It was out of character. He was quiet and pensive and vulnerable and she was so in love with him-

"I do. But doesn't mean I've changed my mind. I've made it up."

He stared at her with that gaze again, making her heart stop and her body cry out. He drew nearer.

"Have you? Really?" His lips were so close now, so close she could feel the heat, taste the tea and cigarettes. NO, she wanted to say, I was wrong, NONONONONO, please come closer I lied I'm a liar liarliarliarliar-

"Yes. I have."

"You stick with the ridiculous notion that you will kill me?"

"I will break you into a million pieces."

"Indeed." He walked away, and her heart sank. It was right, of course, it was what should have happened, but DAMN, DAMNDAMN-

"Oh for the love of-" Severus marched back toward her, drew her up to him and his lips were on hers before she could blink.

Her heart completely stopped. His hands were there, on her face, on her waist, pulling her closer- she could feel the bonds that kept her body apart breaking, tearing- she did the only thing she could at that moment.

She burst into tears. He pulled away, but didn't let go, looking at her with something in between concern and laughter.

"Adeline-"

"Don't. Don't say anything. Just... oh god. Don't speak. I should not be doing this, but I can't not, so don't say anything. Just be here, with me, right now." She didn't look up at him, and he pulled her against him.

"I never wasn't."

"I don't understand. How can this be possible?"

All three sixth years were bent over the desk, staring at the picture in front of them- there was no mistaking the dark ponytail and winking grin of their Runes Professor.

"Maybe our Adeline was related to this one."

"How in Merlin's-"

"You know, a younger sister or something. Maybe this one died-"

"Blimey!" Ron shouted, standing up quickly amidst glares from the Ravenclaw table. His friends looked up at him, puzzled, and he shook his head. "Can't believe I forgot."

"Forgot what, Ronald?"

"Adeline Marks was the very first person announced as killed by Lord Voldemort."

"What?"

"Ron, that makes no sense."

"No, look, it does. Listen, Adeline could have been named after an aunt-Harry said she'd been yelling about her brother that night when she got so mad at Snape, yeah? Maybe that has something to do with it."

"I don't know, Ron..."

"Is there any other logical explanation?" Harry's green eyes met Ron's, nodding in smug assurance. "No. There isn't."

Harry didn't want a logical explanation. He wanted one that made sense, that added up. Ron's idea made sense, for sure, but it felt wrong. Something seemed to be missing from the equation.

"You must be right, Ron," Harry said, but his speech lacked the usual certainty.

"That's settled, then. Can we go to dinner, I'm starving."

"Ooh, yes, let's." They were halfway to the door before they noticed Harry still sitting.

"Harry, aren't you coming? You weren't at lunch, either, you must be famished!" Hermione said, and Harry kept his face steady, his heart pounding rapidly.

"Ermm, no. I have to put all of these books away, and I was thinking about looking at the one with... the one my parents were in. You two go on, I'll meet up with you later." Hermione seemed satisfied with that response, and with a quick shrug and a wave from Ron, they both left.

Now. Time for business.

He took out a piece of parchment, tracing a timeline on it and putting in dots. She had to have been close to Sirius' age, if they had gotten into a relationship- but what was close? Less than fifteen years? Ten? Five? Sirius was certainly a womanizer, and for him to have been engaged to an older woman seemed highly plausible to Harry.

He felt that if he could just find her age, just learn how old she was, that would be the key to everything.

"Living in the past again, Harry?"

Harry closed the book quickly, eyes blank as they registered the vivid blue of the Headmaster's.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir. What are you doing in the library?"

"Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley said I might find you here, although I must admit I learned more about what treacle pudding looks like half-digested than where exactly you would be. I do hope we feed that young man enough," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling- Harry grinned.

"I think Ron'll be just fine, Professor."

"Good. Now, if you'll just step into my office for a few moments, I have some things I must discuss with you."

"Er, yeah, sure, of course, let me just put-"

"I believe you saw during an earlier visit that that is unnecessary. Now, if we could?" Dumbledore waved his hand, turning away from the self-replacing books and beckoning Harry intently.

It would be four months before he thought of Adeline again.