From the moment she entered the dining hall to the instant she left, Hunter constantly frowned at the new intruder in the castle. Leaning back in her seat, the vampire played with the dull table knife in her pallid hands as she kept both eyes on the enemy. Hunter never touched her food and remained silent all Sunday morning.
Everyone was surprised by Umbridge's sudden visit and most did not know why she had decided to pop by Hogwarts for no particular reason. But there was a reason and a purpose to Umbridge's unannounced visit-the Ministry worker was here to find out who had written the article about the "beastly" Half-Breed Laws. The Minister of Magic did not want an uprising from the half-breeds and he didn't want the rest of the magical world to know too much.
The revolting toad-like woman had taken Snape's seat next to the headmaster; he was forced to move down to the end of the table and sit next to Hunter. Scowling and muttering swear words under his breath about the terrible Ministry worker, the Potions Master took a seat between Hunter and Hagrid. For the first time in ages, Snape greeted Hagrid first. He gave the Dark Arts professor a fleeting glance and said nothing to her; he knew better than to bother her right then.
Looking around at the end of the staff table, Snape suddenly realized something. All of the half-breed teaching and working staff at Hogwarts were sitting at the very end of the High Table as if they were being rejected. Snape paused to think about his discovery for a moment, Then why am I at the end of the staff table also...? The answer was quite clear to him, it was because he was an ex-Death Eater. Umbridge was wanting to separate all of the Ministry of Magic's supposed enemies out of Hogwarts before any more damage could be done.
Snape pushed the thoughts of being sent back to Azkaban out of his mind, he had better things to worry about-like Hunter's birthday present. He had spent the past four days planning and finding the perfect gifts for his vampire mistress. The Potions Master had it even rehearsed, everything he would say and do. He wanted it to be absolutely perfect for her since he was the only one who did not know that it was her birthday. Instead of looking in her direction, Snape slyly brushed his leg against her's to get her attention.
Hunter tore her eyes away from the malicious Ministry worker and looked over at the Potions Master. Her facial expression was still shaped into a dark frown as she made eye contact with him, but her eyes had changed to a cool blue hue. What is it? the vampire's soft voice sent shivers down his spine.
You look beautiful today... Snape tried not to smile as he said this; he grabbed his drink and took a long sip to hide his smirk.
The blue-haired vampire coughed to cover up her laugh; he always seemed to find the perfect way of cheering her up.
Are you going to be busy later on today...? the Potions Master curiously asked when he knew he had made her laugh.
Hunter had to think for a while about what she had to do for today, I'll be done with everything by five most likely... Why? She ceased playing with the dull knife in her hands, Hunter was interested in hearing his reason.
Because I have barely seen you in the past four days, Snape stated simply as he took another swig of his orange juice. And because I miss you... he added softly before Hagrid tapped Snape on the shoulder to ask him a question.
- - - - - -
"Potter!" Harry immediately halted when he heard his name echoing throughout the hallway. Turning around, he half expected to find Professor McGonagall ready to scorn him for not successfully transfiguring his pear into a parrot on Wednesday. He was somewhat relieved to see that it was the Dark Arts professor who was impatiently waiting for him to turn around. "Come on Mr. Potter... We're not going outside today," she placed her hands on her tiny hips as the Gryffindor wandered over to her. "We'll have your little test indoors!"
Giving her an odd expression for a moment, Harry couldn't understand how the vampire could test him on everything he had learned inside the castle without anyone else finding out about it. "But Professor Hunter how-"
"Trust me," Hunter smiled to him reassuringly, "You'll be wishing that all of your tests were as entertaining as this one..." Glancing around the hallway, Hunter ushered him towards the grand staircase, "We're heading to the fifth floor I believe..."
Harry wanted to ask her more about what she was going to test on him exactly but whenever he opened his mouth, the vampire would whisper to him to keep quiet. Once they were at the entrance to the fifth floor, Hunter stopped him before he entered. "This is the accord, alright?" Hunter hissed in a soft whisper. "Peeves and the rest of the ghosts are having a bit of fun on the second floor and are keeping everyone entertained for a while. Meanwhile, the portraits have informed me that Umbridge is snooping around here on this floor and Dumbledore does not want her to be doing this..." She nervously glanced over her shoulders, "Now, this is what I want you to do. I want you to use every wandless spell that I have taught you and drive the old bat back downstairs where she belongs."
"You are giving me permission to use my magic to jinx Umbridge...?" he couldn't believe that this was actually happening.
"You'll only get to do this once, so don't start getting ideas that you can do this to Malfoy whenever you want to now..." she smirked at her student. "The point of this is-" Hunter saw his skeptical look, "-yes there is a point to this Mr. Potter...The point is that you'll learn how to control you powers in tight situations and keep yourself out of real danger by being caught-"
A painting next to the entrance of the fifth floor began speaking with the vampire, "Umbridge is near the statue of Boris the Bewildered..."
"Right," Hunter quickly thanked her painting spy before she turned her attention back to Harry. "I've planted a few objects around the floor that you might find useful..." she poked her blue head into the empty corridor. "Everything looks good...you better get going..."
"But-" Harry whispered in protest when his Dark Arts professor was nudging him into the deserted corridor, "What if I get caught?"
Hunter shrugged her shoulders in reply, "You'll probably be expelled," she smirked at his pale complexion. "Good luck," the vampire hissed cheerfully in his ear as she gave him one final nudge of "encouragement" into the corridor.
Why did I even agree to do this? Harry mentally kicked himself for allowing himself to get caught up in these sort of things all the time. I wish Fred and George were here, they would know what to do with Umbridge... The lightbulb suddenly clicked on inside of Harry's head, That's it! I'll just do what they would do to Umbridge...perfect! Pleased with his unbeatable plan on getting rid of Umbridge, Harry confidently strolled down the empty corridor without any worries of being expelled.
Examining the pictures for an hour and having short conversations with them every once in a while, Hunter kept herself busy as she waited for someone to come running out to the grand staircase. She released a sigh of relief when she heard a high-pitched scream grow louder until a soggy, green fuzz-ball sprinted down the marble steps and finally disappeared.
Harry finally came wandering over to the grand staircase and bowed elegantly when his teacher began clapping. "Did I pass?" he readjusted his glasses.
"You have a knack with revenge my dear boy... Just like your father and godfather-I must say. Well done," Hunter patted him on the back. "You better run to your common room before Umbridge comes back with Dumbledore," she tipped her head in respect to him before she started walking back downstairs.
- - - - - -
"You must be joking...Harry Potter actually did that?" Quinn had spotted Umbridge running around in circles trying to find someone who would help her on the second floor. "I almost fell off my perch I was laughing so hard," the young vampire reached for one of his precious blood-covered strawberries on his sister's desk.
Hunter smirked as she thought about Umbridge waddling around in front of the entire school covered from head to toe with dead gillyweed, fish heads, and rancid water.
Sucking the strawberry dry in a matter of seconds, Quinn wiped the blood away from his lips with the back of his sleeve. "I wonder if we can do that again the next time her overly-plump bottom finds its way into Hogwarts...?" he grinned brightly to his older sister. Quinn stiffened when he could suddenly hear someone's heartbeat, "Ugh, blood and flames," he grumbled sourly before he changed into his Animagus form. Flapping his wings only once, Quinn gracefully landed on the desk and began devouring the last blood strawberry.
Knowing who it was, Hunter silently went to her office door and pushed it slightly open. She peered through the opening in the doorway, "What are you doing here?" she hissed at the Potions Master. "Have you forgotten that Umbridge is still prowling around in the castle!"
"It's past five o'clock..." Snape explained in a smooth voice as he opened her office door to allow himself inside. "No one knows that I'm here..." he added when he saw her dark look.
"You don't remember do you...?" Hunter sighed loudly when he shut the door behind him.
"What? What?" he thought Hunter was going to be very upset with him if he didn't remember what he was suppose to remember soon enough.
The vampire pointed to her office door, "It has to remain unlocked... It's one of the Half-Breed Laws, Severus," she sighed pathetically. "The Ministry says that all housing facilities and offices belonging to half-breeds must remain unlocked at all times."
"Oh that..." Snape grumbled in a very disappointed voice as he opened the door slightly. The Potions Master suddenly decided to close the door again, "Umbridge is still trying to get the smell of fish-heads off her skin... We'll smell her the instant she walks up the grand staircase," he reassured her quietly.
He slowly approached her when she did not react to his joke. The Potions Master kissed her lightly on the cheek, "You've been a stranger lately..." he smiled sweetly at Hunter. No matter how many times he smiled at her in private, the vampire was always stunned by the fact that he could actually pull off the facial expression. Carefully, he placed his warm hands on her hips and pulled her a bit closer to him. Just as the Potions Master opened his mouth to say something else to her, screeches began sounding off from behind him.
Flapping his leathery wings madly in the air, Quinn began squeaking at the top of his little lungs in a language only Hunter could understand. The Potions Master turned around and stared at the bat peculiarly as if he was actually trying to figure out what Quinn was screeching about. Standing next to Snape now with a horrific expression on her face, Hunter could not believe what Quinn was yelling at the Potions Master.
"How DARE you KISS my baby sister in front of me! You damn ruffian, do you not have any manners!Get out I say! Out-out-OUT!" Quinn hissed when the hook-nosed character just stared blankly at him in return.
Curiously glancing over at Hunter, who just shrugged in reply, Snape raised his eyebrows at the vampire bat. "Did I forget to bring you a strawberry treat or something?"
This comment made Quinn especially furious. "TREAT! How can I eat when you're too busy snogging my sister and having a treat of your own!" He narrowed his beady eyes at Snape, "I would bite your nose off right this moment if it wasn't the size of a bloody grapefruit!"
Smacking her forehead, Hunter let a load moan out, "Just wonderful..."
"Has he gone mental?" the Potions Master carefully watched as Hunter roughly grabbed her pet bat and carried the enraged creature over to her office window.
"Mental! You're the mental one thinking that I would allow you to act like my dear sister is a piece of your damn property!" Quinn continued to screech even when his sister tossed him out of the window and locked it shut behind him. "I'll have my revenge on you yet, you yellow pansy!" with that being said, the young vampire glided on a warm air current and headed towards the Forbidden Forest.
Hunter leaned against the stone wall, "Well-at least it can't get any worse..." she glanced back out the window to make sure that her brother was in fact gone.
"Do I need to buy a bat muzzle for whenever I come and visit you now?" Snape half-joked to her to make her feel not so embarrassed about the entire thing.
She laughed, "Quinn just doesn't like it when people touch me... He gets very protective sometimes," Like brothers always do...she added mentally to herself. Hunter fell silent when she felt his hand brush away her blue hair from her neck. Closing her eyes for a moment, she felt as light as air whenever he touched her. Opening her eyes again, the weightless dream she was in faded away. "I missed you too..." she found herself whispering in his ear as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
- - - - - - - -
"Do you realize what the consequences would beif you were caught?" Dumbledore was very concerned about the matter. "Are you even listening to me?" the headmaster narrowed his soft eyes at the vampire sitting directly across from him.
"Do you realize what the consequences would beif you were caught?" Dumbledore was very concerned about the matter. "Are you even listening to me?" the headmaster narrowed his soft eyes at the vampire sitting directly across from him.Hunter dark eyes were focused on the gold galleon that was dancing on her left hand's knuckles. "Potter drove Umbridge away, she won't return for a while..." she mumbled under her breath. "I know the risks, Sir," she lifted her head and gave the headmaster a reassuring smirk. "Hagrid is dying to have that lesson and the students need to learn how to curse..." she flicked the galleon into the air and caught it with her other hand. "These are dark times... And times like these, you must use drastic measures..."
The headmaster knew that she speaking the truth, the students do need to learn new ways of protecting themselves against the new threats in the magical world. "Just make certain that no one finds out that Hagrid is involved... I can't bear the thought of him going back to Azkaban again," Dumbledore sighed loudly.
Standing up from her seat, she bowed to the headmaster in respect, "As you wish, Sir..." The vampire pocketed her gold coin and strolled to the office door to leave; Hunter stopped when the headmaster called out her name.
"Avalon...Have you heard anything yet...?" the elder wizard asked in a soft voice.
"Nothing yet, Sir," Hunter opened the door and slipped out of the headmaster's office. Humming to herself, the vampire wandered back downstairs and finally ventured outside of the castle. "Lovely weather," she commented to herself when she was pleased to find that the sun had disappeared behind a thick cover of grey rain clouds.
She went to Hagrid's thatched hut to speak with him about the lessons the two had secretly planned for weeks now. Knocking on his door, Hunter was surprised to find the door creak open all by itself. Half-Breed Laws, remember Avalon? she reminded herself just before she heard Fang howling at the top of his lungs. "Oh, quite down Fang!" Hunter hissed at the boar hound as she opened the door enough to slip inside the hut, "It's only me..."
Hagrid was brewing some sort of broth when Hunter entered his home; he dropped his wooden spoon into the bubbling liquid when he heard her voice. "Wat did 'e say?" the half-giant asked enthusiastically. "Can I teach mi students about 'em er not?" His brightly-lite eyes grew dull when he saw Hunter's emotionless expression; he thought she was going to bring him terrible news.
Suddenly, Hunter smiled at Hagrid, "Of course he said yes... Just as long as we don't get caught-" she lost her breath when the half-giant grabbed her and hugged her tightly. "Hagrid-" she coughed when she thought he had hugged her long enough.
"Oh-sorry," Hagrid released his tight grip on her and dropped her back on her feet again. "So Dumbledore was just peachy with it?" the half-giant was brimming with excitement now. "I can't believe it...I get ta teach mi students about raisin' dragons!" he was grinning from ear to ear as he said this.
- - - - - - - -
"Bloody hell I love the winter nights," Quinn sighed as he sat on the rooftop's edge and kicked his legs back and forth like he was an impatient child. "Especially when there is a full moon..." the young blonde vampire smiled a toothy grin at his older sister. He stretched his arms out and yawned loudly when his sister did not reply. "What do you think dad would say if he was here right now...in front of us...?"
"Quinn-how many times must I tell you-Hunter is not your toy..." she half-joked as she tried to pull her blue hair into a ponytail. "He would comment on your hair, that's one thing I'm sure of..." Hunter pointed at his spiky blonde hair. "How long are you going to keep that haircut? Your ears will get cold during the winter-"
He did not smile, "No, seriously dear sister... What would he say if he knew what had happened to us...what we have become...?"
Sighing, Hunter lifted her head to see the full moon glowing in the pitch black sky. "He would be proud of us Quinn... Proud that we have survived for this long and that you're still his innocent son." Quinn had not killed anyone yet, which was something Hunter could not say for herself.
"What would he say about you...?" Quinn asked in a soft voice.
Hunter looked away from the moon to smile sweetly at her beloved brother, "Probably that I've been feeding Brooklyn too much and he's getting fat..." she laughed quietly to herself. "Seriously though?" she glanced down at her feet as she thought long and hard about her brother's question. "He would be pleased with me that I have protected you all this time..." the blue-haired vampire patted Quinn on the back. "C'mon...I'll fix you a cup of tea, you look like your ears are freezing to death..." she laughed at her brother's frowning face.
- - - - - -
"Al'ight-who wants their project first?" Hagrid beamed as he pointed to his wooden dinner table that was now outside his hut. A large blanket was carefully draped over something lumpy on his dining table. Hagrid's students suspected that the lumpy something was alive-but the blanket never moved. "Aw-c'mon! It's not goin' ta bite ya or anythin'!" the half-giant chuckled when the large group of students did not move.
Draco Malfoy rolled his eyes at Hagrid's comment, "That's what you said last time with that hippogriff...and it almost killed me!" The blonde Slytherin shuddered at the thought about being attacked by Buckbeak again. Flicking his head sideways to see if his Slytherin companions were paying attention, his blonde hair covered his dark grey eyes. "My father would not be pleased to know that another creature has attacked someone-" he let his warning voice fade away.
Draco Malfoy rolled his eyes at Hagrid's comment, "That's what you said last time with that ...and it almost me!" The blonde Slytherin shuddered at the thought about being attacked by Buckbeak again. Flicking his head sideways to see if his Slytherin companions were paying attention, his blonde hair covered his dark grey eyes. "My would not be pleased to know that another creature has attacked someone-" he let his warning voice fade away.A frozen mud clot slapped the back of the Slytherin's neck, "Mind your own business, ferret!" Ron hissed at him sourly.
Before Draco could turn on Ron, Hagrid uncovered the table to reveal multicolored eggs that were the size of a human head. They sparkled in the warm sunlight and caught everyone's attention immediately. Harry, Ron, and Hermione instantly recognized the different colored eggs. "Those are dragon eggs!" Ron cried out in horror when he knew that it was a terrible thing for Hagrid to have in possession right then.
"Very good Ron!" Hagrid grabbed the first dragon egg he could get his massive hands around, "Ya each get an egg!"
Harry yelped out in confusion, "What!" He and Hermione began to argue out loud with Hagrid about if anyone from the Ministry of Magic found out that he was giving students dragon eggs. "Hagrid-it's illegal! You can't just hand out dragon eggs to us! You'll be sent-" Harry glared at Draco when the Slytherin smirked pleasingly to his cronies.
"Professor 'unter 'as made it clear that this is perfectly legal," Hagrid gave Harry an egg to shut him up, "and Professor Dumbledore has okayed it al'eady." The half-giant then handed Ron his very own dragon egg, "I'll explain ta ya all what ya must do with yer dragon eggs," Hagrid said before Hermione could interrupt him. "Ya all must take good care of yer eggs durin' yer Christmas 'olidays. When they 'atch-" he started to say.
"Wait-wait-wait..." Draco rudely interrupted his teacher without a single care about doing so. "You're telling us that we are going to raise dragon eggs?" he snorted in disbelief. The Slytherin knew that there was something illegal with the project, he just had to dig deeper to uncover it.
Hagrid nodded with a bright smile on his face, "Yes...and when they 'atch, ya all pass yer projects!"
"So-when they hatch...we pass?" Ron asked in a highly skeptical voice as he examined his egg with some curiosity.
"Yes-but ya 'ave ta keep real good care of yer egg...or it will never 'atch. After it 'atches, ya all 'ave ta care fer 'em fer the first two weeks-" Hagrid was interrupted again by one of his worried students.
"B-but we have to feed them when they hatch...?" Neville was already shaking and sweating in fear of having a pet dragon over Christmas break.
Nodding with the same grin on his face, Hagrid handed out several pieces of parchment to his students. "This will 'elp ya with feedin' and speedin' up the 'atchin' process," the half-giant said loudly as he passed out the instructions. "It usually takes three months fer 'em ta 'atch but ya should be able ta 'atch 'em in one month. Ya can not use magic on 'em-we made sure of that. The hex isn't very pretty mind ya, so I wouldn't suggest tryin' it. The one thing ta remember is that the better ya care fer yer egg, the quicker they 'atch."
"What will you do with them after we pass our projects, Hagrid?" Harry asked just as Hermione was about to.
"We 'ave ta give 'em ta Ron's older brother in Romania. We got the eggs from 'im actually..." Hagrid replied in a proud booming voice. "So," he clapped his massive hands together, "Are there any questions?" His voice was cheerful and upbeat while the students were making low whines.
Hermione was bound and determined to figure out how Hagrid was going to get away with having the class raise dragon eggs for an entire month. "But Professor Hagrid-I clearly remember that raising dragons was illegal unless you are a certified breeder... The law can't change that dramatically in six years time."
With a satisfied expression on his face, Hagrid ordered that the students should read over their parchments and immediately begin caring for their egg. He told the seventh years that they could now return to the dining hall since he had taken them outside during their lunch hour. Once the students were leaving, Hagrid silently pulled the trio away from the group so he could answer all of their questions without any rude interruptions. "This project was suggested ta me months ago by Professor 'unter when the 'alf-Breed Laws were just comin' inta effect... At first, I didn't think that the Ministry would let us-but they did after Professor 'unter spoke with the Minister." The gentle half-giant scratched his forehead, "They are just newborns anyway...they won't cause any trouble fer the month. We're givin' 'em back ta the dragon raisers in Romania at the beginin' of February."
The golden trio exchanged nervous expressions, "How did Professor Hunter even convince the Minister of okaying this project?" Hermione was beginning to have her doubts as she held her dragon egg ever so carefully in her hands.
"Professor 'unter 'as a great background with mythical creatures and such...'er foster father use ta raise all sorts of endangered mythical creatures. She is the on with the breedin' license fer dragons." Hagrid said all of this in a firm voice to reassure his three favorite students, "Dragons listen ta 'er exceptionally well fer some reason." With that being said, Hagrid followed them back to the castle so they could have a bit of lunch before their afternoon classes began. "Don't worry 'ermione, Professor 'unter 'as already taken care of everythin' fer me," Hagrid said in a pleasant voice.
During lunch, the Gryffindors were desperately trying to read Hagrid's handwriting on the parchments he had handed out. "Does this say two or fish, do you know?" Neville asked Harry once the golden trio had made it back to the Great Hall.
"I wish we could raise dragon eggs," Ginny pouted.
For the rest of the afternoon, all of the seventh year students in the Care of Magical Creatures class tried to keep their eggs warm by holding them close to their bodies. Luckily, their body heat was sufficient enough to heat the dragon eggs for the remainder of the day. When the last class of the day was finished, everyone with eggs took slower steps and precautions to make sure that they wouldn't break their dragon eggs.
At the back of the line to enter the Great Hall was Neville, he was trying not to trip and crack his egg. He was still clumsy at times, but everyone was use to that fact except for Hermione. While he was cautiously trying to enter the dining hall, Neville was suddenly stopped by Draco and his Slytherin cronies. "W-what ddo you-wantt?" Neville Longbottom asked in an uneasy voice.
"I was just wondering Longbottom..." Draco hissed between his teeth, "Will your dragon grow up to be as pitiful as you?" The blonde smirked from ear to ear while his companions bursted out in laughter. "Or will it be just as crazy as your mum and dad?"
In a heated rage, Neville charged at Draco with one fist flying and the other desperately clutching to his dragon egg. Draco had expected an attack from Neville, he quickly moved out of Neville's path and stuck his foot out to have Neville trip over it. As Neville fell, his egg slipped out of his sweating hands and began falling down towards the hard stone ground with him. "Noooo!" Neville cried out as he hit the ground before the egg.
Closing his eyes, Neville expected to hear a loud crack, but after a few moments he heard nothing of the sort. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had heard Neville's cry from the dining hall and they came running out to aide the clumsy boy. Neville didn't notice them at first because he was too busy watching his egg float an inch above the ground. "How...?" Neville whispered to himself.
Suddenly the egg floated higher in the air and zoomed towards the top of Draco's head; everyone began to believe that it was possessed. A figure appeared out of nowhere holding the egg in their pallid hands, "Tell me...Mr. Malfoy...when was it that I told you not to pick on any more of your fellow classmates?" Hunter hissed at him coldly. With a dark look in her emotionless eyes, she lifted Neville back to his feet and handed him his egg. "I think a nice visit from your father will do the tick," she added sharply to Draco.
"Bloody brilliant," Ron whispered to Harry when the redhead noticed that Hunter did not have an invisibility cloak on. Hermione was too busy being worried about poor Neville than to notice that Hunter had appeared out of nowhere.
Using her inhuman strength, Hunter grabbed Draco's right ear and easily lifted him a few feet from the ground. "Ow!" Draco winced in fear more than in pain when he was now at the vampire's eye level. "I'm sorry-I'm sorry-" he was immediately dropped when he had apologized.
"Go straight to my office Mr. Malfoy, where I will deal with you personally!" Hunter shouted bitterly at the blonde Slytherin. "I will not put up with your behavior any longer!"
Draco whimpered and cowered like a wounded animal in front of everyone. "Yes, Professor Hunter..." he muttered dryly in reply as he got back up to his feet.
She pointed down the hallway and Draco solemnly dragged his feet towards the Grand Staircase. With a dark glare, Hunter forced the rest of the Slytherins to leave and she then turned on the Gryffindor students. "I suggest that you four should go back inside the dining hall before Professor Snape finds out about this matter..." she turned her back on them and headed down the darkened hallway until she disappeared completely in the shadows.
"How did she do that?" Ron asked out loud with Neville nodding in agreement.
Hermione snorted at Ron and Neville, "Did you not learn anything about vampires in our third year? They can disappear into the shadows...and reappear when they step into the light. We had a question on our O.W.L.s about that!" she shook her head in disgust.
The golden trio and Neville heeded the vampire's advice and returned to the dining hall before Professor Snape could get a hold of them. As they ate at their table, Harry's owl fluttered down from an open window up above the dining tables and dived down onto Harry's shoulder. In the snowy owl's beak was an envelope addressed to Harry. When Harry took the letter from his beautiful pet, Hedwig began helping herself to Harry's roast beef.
Ron and Hermione ceased eating at Harry tore open the envelope, "Who is it from Harry?" Hermione asked him in a low whisper.
Harry carefully unfolded the letter and then read it silently to himself, "It's from Lupin," he hissed back to his friends. "He's inviting us to his wedding..."