Any optimism Harry had been harbouring about being able to sit peacefully though the service, pay his respects and leave without drama turned out to be unfounded. No sooner had he approached the recently installed Garden of Memories than it all kicked off. Hagrid had gone to prepare his cabin where, he told them, he would be fielding applications from former Griffindors looking to return to complete their NEWTS.

Apparently unconcerned by the stares she was attracting, Lucie looked around for other familiar faces as Harry fielded the first wave of the mob descending on him. Having espied the Weasleys grouped around a headstone at the far end of the Garden, they decided not to intrude upon the family grief until invited and Lucie headed towards Malfoy instead. He was stood singularly apart from the various knots of people including, Harry noticed, his former cronies from Slytherin. Harry followed her. Not from any desire to be in a conversation with Malfoy but because if he kept moving people had less time to comment on his suit. As they reached him, Harry heard familiar voices arguing in low tones.

"I just think he's got some nerve coming here after what he – " the distinctive Irish accent gave Seamus away immediately.

"It doesn't matter what he did Seamus, what matters –" Harry was less surprised than he once would have been to hear Neville outright interrupt someone.

"What matters is that he's a DeathEater –"

"There aren't any Death Eaters any more, Seamus. It's over. If you don't like him, don't talk to him – but for Merlin's sake don't start any fights! This is a funeral!"

"Seriously, Neville? He disrespects all our friends and the people who died just by being here! I can't believe you're standing up for him after all he bullied you!"

"He has friends who died here too! Relatives even! And you're right; he did. But that does NOT make it right for me, you or anyone else to become a bully! If the war taught us anything – "

"It's that people like him can't be trusted!"

"Knock it off, Seamus. Drop it."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll be Neville's second in the duel," said Harry, striding over. He was disappointed but not overly surprised to find that Seamus did not seem to be alone in his way of thinking.

"Harry! You can't seriously be saying that people like him –"

"I DID NOT DIE IN THAT WAR FOR YOU TO START A NEW ONE!" Bellowed Harry, his temper snapping and shocking himself as much as anyone. "Don't you see, Seamus? Any of you? This is how Voldemort started with the Death Eaters! 'People like that' is one step away from 'Mudblood' and it's more dangerous than the killing curse! The world is changing, right in front of our eyes and I won't see idiots drag it back down! See her?" he gestured at Lucie, who raised her eyebrows. "She's a muggle! See who she's friends with? Malfoy. Good! I hope she makes friends with Ernie and Luna and Zabini and I bloody hope she makes friends with you, Seamus, because she could teach you a bloody thing or two about acceptance!" He stopped, suddenly painfully aware that everyone within hearing distance was staring at him. There was a delicate cough behind him. He turned to find Professor McGonagall.

"While I agree whole-heartedly with the sentiment, Mr Potter, I would be grateful if you could keep your voice to a more decorous volume." She spoke sternly, but with no rancour.

"Sorry, Professor," said Harry calming down slightly. She nodded to him.

"And you, Mr Finnigan, would do well to take Mr Longbottom's advice and simply keep quiet if no civilised words present themselves for use."

"Yes, Professor," muttered Seamus.

"And you, Mr Malfoy," she continued, causing him to visibly shrink back as she turned on him. "Professor Slughorn is very much looking forward to discussing your reapplication to Hogwarts. Your appointment with him is at two this afternoon."

"I don't think I'm going to –" he started, before being firmly cut off.

"The correct answer is 'yes, Headmistress'! By the way, your Aunt is very much looking forward to seeing you." He stared at her, but she stared back as unblinking as a cat. He lowered his eyes.

"Yes, Headmistress," he said.

"Good," she said, satisfied. "Good day to you all."

As she strode off, the crowd dispersed, Neville staying to shake Harry's hand and meet Lucie before heading off to Hagrid's hut to discuss his reapplication. Harry wished him luck and turned to find Draco still stood exactly where he had been.

"What's wrong?" asked Lucie.

"Did she just threaten me?" he asked, sounding confused. "My Aunt's dead, I…"

"Wrong Aunt," said Harry, realising Draco's confusion. "Andromeda, not Bellatrix." At the look on Draco's face he continued awkwardly. "I knew your cousin Nymphadora, she married Lupin and I'm Godfather to their son…"

"I haven't seen Auntie Andi or Uncle Ted or Dora in years, not since Father…" he stopped hurriedly. "I can't believe Dora married our old Professor."

"Tonks and Lupin died. So did your Uncle. I'm really sorry." Harry couldn't quite believe he was having this conversation.

"Anyone else, Potter? Any more of my family dead that you seem to know better than I?"

"Dobby," said Harry and immediately wished he hadn't. The antagonism and residual confusion on Malfoy's face changed immediately to a hurt shock that a younger Harry simply would not have believed him capable of. After a moment, Malfoy got a grip on himself and his face shut down into a hard blankness. He turned deliberately away from Harry.

"Excuse me, Lucie," he said. "I think I need to go and speak with my Aunt."

"Want me to come with you for moral support?" she asked. Unbalanced that the offer seemed genuine, he declined and stalked off. "Sometimes, Harry," she continued, not unkindly. "You open your mouth and the absolute worst thing you could possibly say comes out."

"It's a gift," he said, morosely.

"If it's any consolation, he didn't like you to begin with, so you haven't, like, ruined a friendship or anything."

"I wonder why he's here," mused Harry aloud.

"He has reasons. I promised not to tell no one though," said Lucie. Harry stared at her. "We bonded over a round of the 'who has the worst dad' game. We tied."

Deciding not to go anywhere near that for the time being, Harry was reeling through excuses to leave in his mind when Hermione appeared, breathless, triumphant and worried.