A/N: Love to reviewers and Countess Black.

NB: When the translating-charm people came and did the Ministry, they also did the family's main residences and some other important places for convenience.

As it stands right now, assume the Ministry, Castle Krum, Castle Borev, the Conclave, and the British Embassy are all charmed.(Also, if you do four, you get one free. It was a good deal).

Pavel had to give it to him, the kid had guts. He was calmly drinking tea, not commenting as the girl-his wife, which really creeped Pavel out, incidentally-kept up a conversation about any and everything.

'A veterinarian? Really?'

'Really. I had just finished my first year when I was bitten.'

'Oh. I'm sorry to hear that.'

Pavel nodded his thanks. 'Thank you, my lady.'

The kid finally set his cup down. 'Then I expect you've looked at Bear.'

'I have, yes. He is very old, I take it.'

'Twenty-four or five.'

'Do most of your dogs reach that age?'

'Magical strains live longer. Typically twenty to twenty five years.'

'They're very handsome dogs. Friendly, too.'

'They haven't been bothering you, I hope.'

'Not at all.'

He liked them. Pavel saw very little of the outside world, but the dogs were a sort of capsule of what was best in it; water and earthy loam and rabbits and birds and rain.

'Bear has been with me my entire life, Mr. Pavel.'

'Yes, of course.'

'If you thought he was in pain, I would want to know.'

What did he do now? Pavel breathed deeply. Like Sirius, he could read a fair amount in the dogs' body language and smells, and he thought Bear had earnt his rest. On the other hand, might this be a test of some sort?

'I think his arthritis is not getting better, my lord, nor ever will.'

'I know. His pain, would you say?'

'That will also not improve.'

'Is he suffering, Pavel?'

Pavel liked animals too much not to be honest. 'I think the answer is yes. He's waiting for you.'

'Waiting for me?'

'He wants you with him when the time comes. He's ready, but you aren't. Or weren't.'

The kid nodded. 'Thank you. Tonight?'

'Or tomorrow, if you'd like a little more time.'

'What would be better for Bear?'

'Tonight.'

The kid nodded again. 'I appreciate your honesty in this matter. So does Bear, no doubt.'

Pavel nodded. There was something beside the dog at work here. He set down the tea cup and saucer. 'Was that why you wished to see me?'

'No. I didn't know, until now. I want to talk to you about my uncle's proposal.'

'All right.'

'My uncles and wife believe I should take it. What do you think?'

Pavel snorted. This was unexpected. 'I think if I were you, my lord, I'd spit in my face and lock me in the darkest oubliette in this place.'

'Oh?'

'Oh. For whatever it's worth to you, we never meant for your lady mother to get hurt.'

'Did you do it?'

'Hard to say. There were a lot of spells flying. If I had to guess? No, probably not. I was fighting a tall blond man I think was Malfoy Sr.'

'Who did it?'

'Turgurlan, if anyone. He was the sort, to be sure. Careless and stupid.'

'Where is he now?'

'Hell, I would think. He fell over the parapet of Castle Borev into that spiked moat.'

'Ah.'

The girl poured him more tea. 'Biscuit, Mr. Pavel?'

'Thank you, no.'

The kid was still chewing this over. He looked at the girl, whose face never moved. Pavel could smell them both, the way they smelt of one another, and their happiness, which was as bubbly as champagne. He looked away, giving them a little privacy.

'Why did you attack that night?'

Pavel sat back in the chair. 'We wanted to scare them. Scare you.'

'Lestrange House was not enough?'

'It was the symbolism as much as anything. Let Europe see that the Dark Lord was not inviolable.'

'Striking at his most faithful would have that effect.' The girl was holding an unbitten biscuit in her hand, thoughtfully chewing her lip a little.

'Yes, exactly. It had to be someone people outside of Britain had heard of.'

They looked at one another again. 'And my uncle, Mr. Pavel?'

'Stefan came to us, not vice-versa.'

'How much?'

'A thousand.'

The kid nodded. 'Ah. Gold, I hope?'

'Yes. A thousand gold and false papers so he could get out of the country.'

'Did you actually mean to take the castle?'

Pavel considered. 'Well, yes and no. We were hoping he'd self-destruct, which he did. The actual castle was secondary.'

'Those men you conscripted?'

'We were trying to make the local people rise in open revolt. If you hadn't come when you did, we'd have succeeded.'

'What about my great-uncle?'

Pavel shook his head. 'Stefan did for him, I think. He went into the room and lord Borev was alive. When he came out, he had the ring and the body was gone.'

What exactly was this accomplishing? He understood wanting some answers, but surely they could discuss how he was useful to them now?

'Mr. Pavel?' The girl, looking at him curiously, head tipped a little. Her eyes were big and dark. If she'd been a bit older, Pavel would have thought they were eyes a man could fall into.

'If you don't mind my asking, why do you want to do these things? Surely a man as clever as yourself could find-'

'A man, my lady, or a beast?'

'A man. There must be something, surely, you could have done?'

'No. Werewolves are despised. When I got infected, I lost everything. I was thrown out of the veterinary program, my landlord evicted me, and I was sacked without references from my job. What was I supposed to do?'

She looked shocked. 'You mean there was nothing for you?'

'Not nothing. I moved back in with my parents and found some people in the same boat. When we got loud enough, our Ministry offered us a job.'

'There was no less violent way?'

'My lady, our society has deemed that people such as myself have two choices. We might accept our lot as pariahs, or we must fight to show that we are people too, and deserving of the same rights as anyone else.'

She nodded. 'I regret you went through all that.'

'Thank you, my lady. So do I.'

The kid set down his cup. 'Mr. Pavel, would you object to helping us with Bear this evening?'

'No, my lord.'

'All right. And then perhaps we might visit more?'

'I should like that.'

That night, Pavel followed a small group of elves to the Master suite. Bear was lying on his side, breathing shallowly. Still, his tail was wagging as the kid sat beside him and took the dog's head in his lap.

'It's all right, Bear.'

Bear whined faintly. It was time to go. The girl was standing close, where both boy and dog could see her. Pavel cleared his throat softly, not wanting to intrude on a private moment.

The uncles were also there, and they took turns stroking Bear's head. 'Thank you, Bear.'

Rumen Krum nodded, unable to speak. Pavel found he liked the fellow a little better now; harder to hate a man who loved dogs.

The elf handed over the phial. 'Mr. Pavel, would you mind?'

Pavel gently inserted the tip of a phial, which had a sort of glass funnel on it, and tipped the contents down the dog's throat. Bear relaxed, doggy-smiling as the pain drained away.

None of the rest of them could see it, but Pavel could. He smelt the moment the dog's spirit left his body and saw, like the vapour over a tea-kettle, the spirit itself resolve into the shape of the body it had just left. Bear barked once, soundlessly, and trotted off, young and strong again, bound for the third star on the right and on until morning.

'It's over.'

The kid nodded, still stroking the dog's ruff. 'Blixo, take him home, please.'

The three walked into the courtyard. It was a cool, comfortable night. From the other side of the courtyard, the Tamms waved and slipped away. Even from here, Madam Tamm's fear was palpable.

'Thank you for your help, Mr. Pavel.'

'My pleasure.'

They were all quiet a moment. The sounds of Sofia were faint here, but Pavel could smell the city. He wished he could wander the cobbles, have something to eat from a street-vendor, smile at pretty girls.

'I take it you know it was a test.'

'I'd gathered, yes.'

'I am satisfied, Mr. Pavel, that you are what you claim to be. So I suppose the question now, sir, is what to do with it?'

Pavel smiled slightly. 'Anything you'd like, my lord.'

The girl looked at her husband, clearly speculating. He gave it straight back. Pavel, with his heightened sense of body language, watched, fascinated by the subtle interplay of their gestures and smells, the ways they spoke to one another without saying a word.

'You know Anu Tamm, our aide?'

'It's safe to say.'

All three chuckled a little at the reminder and then the girl kept on. Pavel sensed no fear from her, not a bit. The others dogs were gathering, sniffing. Soon they would howl, knowing Bear had gone ahead of them.

Perhaps, thought Pavel, it was preferable to what humans did. Humans were obliged to go on without showing the world that they hurt. He wondered what the two of them did with their grief and anger.

'The Kasks, too? Vaike and Paavo?'

'Yes, I know Mr. Kask a bit.'

'They're Estonians. My cousin's promised to help them find the wolves who destroyed their towns. Could you help with that?'

'Back in '92, this would be, my lady?'

'Yes.'

'Those wolves could be dead by now. The answer is yes, but make sure they understand there's a limit to what I can do.'

'We will. What will you need?'

'It's my understanding Miss Kask was...' He'd heard that someplace, and he felt for her, even as he doubted he could find those men. Then again, anything was possible.

'Yes, she was.'

'The clothing she was wearing would be a start. If I can smell them, I'll have an easier time identifying the wolves responsible.'

Something passed over her face then, a shadow. Not of fear, but a shadow of something darker. When she spoke, her voice was very calm.

'You understand, Mr. Pavel, that I will not hesitate to address the issue if I feel you're playing us false?'

'I do.'

He'd seen how she addressed other issues, and wanted no part. He darted a glance at the kid, who was stone-faced. Interesting. Most interesting. Which of them, he wondered, was the alpha here?

'As for the Albanians, see if you can't get something of the wolves'. A bit of tunic would be fine.'

'I'll set Enver to it at once.'

'My lady?'

'Sir?'

'I won't lie to you about this. The things that happened in those places sicken me as well.'

She nodded. 'Your discretion, of course, is necessary as well.'

'Not a word. Would it be all right for me to speak to them? If Miss Kask is afraid, then perhaps her brother would speak for them both?'

The girl laughed a little. 'Vaike doesn't know what that word means.'

Pavel raised his head and sniffed the air as subtly as possible. It smelt like freedom. It smelt like his life was starting again.

Rumen Krum was coming toward them at a rapid clip, sidewhiskers twitching with displeasure.

'Bad news from England, my lord and lady. Perhaps we could speak inside?'

Scabior appeared, seemingly from nowhere, and gently tapped Pavel's shoulder.

'C'mon, Mr. Pavel. I'll walks you back t yer rooms, yeah?'

Pavel walked beside him. As they left, the first howls began, like the tuning-up of an orchestra.

Upstairs, Penko Krum greeted his niece and nephew with embraces and a kiss to Hermione's forehead. 'Are you both all right?'

Viktor nodded, looking downcast. 'It was time, Uncle. Past time. Pavel thinks he was waiting for me to come home.'

'I think so too. He's at peace now, Viktor.'

'I know.'

Penko held out the sheath of papers Sirius Black had brought them. The man himself was sitting on the divan in the corner, where Penko had once killed an auror. He rose now and repeated the greeting, giving his condolences about Bear and enquiring after Edric and Barty.

'Like ducks to water, is that the idiom? Edric's learnt three new words, and Barty's appointed himself Aunt Sose's protector.'

Black nodded, strangely shorn hair in peaks like meringue about his head. 'He's not scaring her?'

'She knows how he is. He follows her about helping her. He's his own goat now and everything.'

Black chuckled. 'Thank her for us, if you wouldn't mind. That's wonderful of her.'

'How is it at home? Uncle Rumen said bad news.'

'The Dark Lord's...he's testing Draco.'

'Testing him?'

'Sending him to infiltrate Romania and then assassinate Arthur Weasley.'

Penko felt his chest freeze. 'What?'

The others looked no better. Hermione, lips colourless, clutched Viktor's arm. Viktor was sallow with shock and, his uncle guessed, anger. Black gave them a few more details and then sat back, waiting.

'How are they taking it?'

'Lucius blames himself. Narcissa's angrier than I've ever seen her.'

'And Drago, cousin?'

'Resigned. He's letters for you both. And Miss Kask.'

'What does Snape say to all this?'

Black smiled. He was quite a handsome fellow, Penko judged. Not that he would hurt Rab that way, of course, but a person does look a bit. Now, Rab and Black both...or Snape?...Penko decided this was not the time, and put his mind to other matters.

'He wants to talk with you about that. Needless to say, this isn't going to stand.'

'No, of course not.'

Viktor patted his wife's hand. 'We will do whatever it takes.'

Black handed over a packet of letters, each of them sealed tightly. 'For you all, including Edric.'

'How long will you stay with us, cousin?'

'As long as Snape doesn't need me.'

'Have you slept or eaten lately?'

'Not a bit. Came right from Skopje.'

'Why don't you have a meal and a nap and then we'll talk a bit more?'

'Thank you, darling, that sounds divine. How have you both been?'

'All right.'

Viktor nodded. 'No word from my father, Sirius?'

'None, lad. Your Grandmama wrote you a letter.'

'Is she well?'

Sirius inhaled. 'No. She is as comfortable as she can be, and she loves you all very much. If you'd like to give a return message, I'll take it at your word.'

'Thank you.'

The broke so Sirius could eat and nap, and when he'd been seen to by Niska and Winky, the four left in the office looked at one another.

Rumen, who had been silent thus far, broke the silence. 'Poor Lucius and Narcissa. My God.'

'Uncle, would you send for the Patriarch's men? I'd like masses said.'

'Viktor' said Hermione, appalled 'Draco's not dead.'

'No, he isn't, but I'm afraid a lot of others will be soon.'

Silence. Then Penko felt compelled to speak. He tried to remember a time before politics and couldn't. His whole world was this room, and the people in it the suns his planet revolved round.

'What's our next step, my lord and lady?'

Hermione spoke. 'We need to invite them here. The heads of state. Lay out our case and then try to sway them.'

'What about our agreement with the Dark Lord?'

'He voided that the second he tried to use our seneschal as an assassin. Viktor?'

'A studied insult, and patent stupidity. He's punishing Uncle Lucius and the others for helping us.'

'Our envoys?'

'This is past that. The Dark Lord is deliberately attempting to implicate us in this.' Hermione, like Penko imagined Narcissa to be, was angrier than he'd ever seen her, eyes glowing, cheeks pink.

'Once we've got the other countries, then what?'

Both of them seemed ages older to him. Penko stood up, startled by the small threads of silver in his nephew's hair. Hermione's bad hand was shaking too, hard, fingers flexing involuntarily.

Rumen gave him a look. Stop it, he mouthed. Penko gave the look straight back. We need to do this, it said. Children or no, they're heads of state. This is what has to happen.

'We'll have the Professor contact Miss Skeeter. She might have things we can use to sway them. If enough people get outraged, maybe we can negotiate with him.'

Penko came and sat next to his niece. He touched her cheek gently, wishing he could do this for the children rather than to them.

'Good ideas, Hermione. And then what?'

She shook her head. 'I don't know.' Her voice sounded small and hurt, like she'd abruptly remembered she was fourteen. Penko sat and put both arms about her, rubbing her back.

'You're doing well, love. I just want to show you what we're up against.'

'I know what we're up against.'

'Better than anyone does.'

She leant against him, sighing deeply. Her hand was twitching violently. Penko touched it lightly. It felt like the heartbeat of a dormouse, or the wings of a hummingbird.

'Viktor? What do you think?'

Viktor was still rubbing his head. 'What else can we do, Uncle, but push forward?'

Rumen sat on Viktor's other side, enclosing them as best they could in the illusory safety of their adults. 'We'll find a way, Viktor.'

'We always do, Uncle.' He didn't sound happy about it, and Rumen put a hand to the base of his neck, squeezing soothingly.

'Lots of priests, Uncle.'

'Shall I ask His Excellency to have every monastery in the country chant for us?'

'Would you?'

Hermione leant over and touched the back of his hand. Viktor straightened slowly, looking at her face.

'Hermione?'

'Viktor?'

'Vaike or Anu first?'

'Vaike. Then we'll take Sirius to visit Anu and tell him. Tell them.'

He nodded. When he stood he helped her up. They politely bid the uncles farewell and went to their rooms to deal with this in private. As Penko watched, his nephew's arm stole round his wife's waist. She leant against him a second and then they were walking down the corridor, talking quietly.

'Rumen?'

'Penko?'

'Whom do they remind you of?'

Rumen was quiet a minute. 'You were too young to have known them this way.'

'No, I wasn't.'

'You were eight.'

'Nine.'

'Still, that's too young.'

'Do they remind you of Martin and Zhivka, or not?'

'Yes' said Rumen reluctantly 'they do.'

The brothers Krum sat down and tried to make sense of what was happening, and how they could stop it.

Sose Tamm ended up finding out about Salazar, or rather Sirius, purely by accident. When Hermione and Viktor arrived, she'd taken the baby, after a suitable amount of time, and left the hall with Barty in tow.

Sose had been scared of Barty at first. He was tall, for one, and looked like he could outrun her. Then he'd smiled shyly and opened his mouth.

'You're Anu's mother. He's a very good boy, Anu. Do you really have goats at your castle?'

She'd nodded carefully. Anu had told her he wasn't quite right. Did that make him harmless? Did it make him dangerous?

He'd jiggled the baby and then smiled again. 'May I meet them someday? I've never got to pet a goat.'

'All right.'

He'd beamed, delighted. Then he'd leant toward her, lowering his voice a little. She'd gone very still, hoping he'd leave her alone, hoping he wouldn't say something crude.

'May Edric come to see the goats as well? We'll make you pictures after.'

Sose had slowly held out her hands for the baby, and Barty handed him over carefully, utterly solemn. How bad could a man be, that loved a child so much?

Now she was quite used to him. He was a child himself, more or less, and anyway, Sose had always heard that people like Barty were blessed. He trailed her about, chattering about any and everything.

When they'd got to the solar, Barty seriously went ahead, checking the corners. 'It's all right, Sose.'

She came in, setting Edric down in the sling she'd made for him. He flailed delightedly, bouncing in place. Barty took up his place across from Sose, Winky handing him his lapdesk and crayons.

'Apples is big now, isn't she?'

'She's very big.'

'Sose, is everything all right? Do you need a hug?'

She shook her head, knowing he was offering sincerely. 'I'm fine, Barty. Just a little tired.'

He frowned. 'Have you written Sev about it? He can help you, you know.'

She smiled and went back to mending. The baby, in his little sling, was still bouncing. Barty waved and Edric waved back and then clapped.

'H'lo, Bar'y! H'lo! Yay!'

'Hello, Edric.' Barty clapped right back, looking proud and pleased.

'He's such a smart boy, isn't he?'

'He is.'

Sose's fingers were crackling. Professor Snape said that it was rheumatism, and given her potions to help. She rose, setting down her sewing. He'd also told her that gentle exercise would do her good, and she hated bothering the elves.

'Barty, I'm going to get a potion. Would you stay with Edric?'

'Of course. Are you sure you don't want me to go?'

'No, a walk'll do me good.'

He nodded and went back to his picture. She slipped out, new wand in front of her. Mr. Scabior had made it clear through his wife that he'd put the word out to leave her be, but she worried sometimes all the same.

She could hear voices from the hall. Anu's raised in what was either shock or anger, and Viktor's deeper one speaking soothingly. Hermione, too, sounding as tired as Sose felt, and then another deeper voice.

She froze for a second, wand raised. It's just a guest of Viktor's, she told herself sternly. He wouldn't let someone hurt Anu or you. Just be calm, go meet him. Don't make them think you aren't grateful to them for everything they've done.

Her elf, Anu's gift to her, appeared, and so did Winky, doubtlessly sent by Barty to check on her. She felt safer with the elves there, and the extra confidence helped her to walk slowly to the door and wait by the lintel, not quite sure if she should go in.

Anu came to her, instead. His eye patch was gleaming mellowly in the light, and he looked grave, older. She felt a wave of love for him that was so strong it made her chest ache.

'Anu?'

'Nene, we should take a walk. Are you up to it?'

She nodded. The other two were quiet, and for the first time, she saw the big black dog, sitting at Hermione's feet. Sose raised a brow at her son.

'Nene?'

They walked toward an empty corridor. Goose had followed Sose, and he chuffed happily as he walked between them, sometimes snuffling softly and poking one of them with his nose so they'd pet his head.

'Nene?'

'Anu?'

'Salazar is here.'

'I saw.'

'He's not really a dog.'

She stopped. 'What?' On her other side, Goose whined softly and nuzzled her hand for attention.

'He's an animagus. A wizard who can turn into an animal.'

She blinked. 'Anu, that isn't funny.'

'No, he is. I didn't know until the day with the Dementors, but he is.'

She was trying to find words and failing. 'How...what is this?'

Anu sighed. 'He's a spy. Snape didn't tell anyone for a long time. I found out because when the Dementors came he was a wizard and then he turned into a dog. They don't want anyone to know. I would've told you but...'

'Did they ask you not to?'

Anu nodded. 'And I thought it might be scary for you.'

'Scary to know?'

'He was with us a lot, is all.'

Sose let it all process. 'He's never tried to hurt you?'

'Never. He's very nice, Nene.'

'I'm sure.'

'Are you angry?'

'No.'

Goose stopped chuffing and sat on his haunches, tongue lolling. He was a very sweet dog, but definitely not destined to the brains of the operation any time soon. Sose extended a hand to scratch his ruff and then hesitated.

'The others are dogs, aren't they?'

'Yes, Nene.'

Goose lapped her hand, snorting with pleasure. Anu knelt and the dog half tackled him, barking with excitement. Anu rolled, laughing as the dog pinned him and then let himself be pinned in return. Sose gave them both a look and they stopped, Anu dusting himself off gently and Goose settling by their feet, panting a bit.

'Nene? Are you all right?'

Sose had been through a lot in her life. She'd wandered, pregnant and forsaken, through the mountains in search of a home at fifteen. She'd got an education for her son despite being so afraid of the man she'd had to ask that she'd vomited after. She'd kicked that horrible Turgurlan in the groin when he propositioned her, and then been too scared to leave her rooms for three days after.

Now, she decided, was the time for courage. Drago needed them-needed her, Sose, and her son. She squared her shoulders and gave her son a friendly pat on the back.

'Introduce me to Mr. Black, Anu?'

'You're sure, Nene?'

'I should thank him, is all.'

Anu turned and hugged her suddenly. He did that less these days, so she treasured it, knowing these times would fade as he got older.

'You know, Drago said once he thinks you're a very brave lady. I think so too.'

He released her, and went to introduce his terrified mother to a strange man in their home.