A/N: Love to signofthetimes, CB, and reviewers.

After she read this chapter, signofthetimes remarked that '...that practice room sees a lot of action.' Pretty much, yeah.

Also, mea culpa: I'm ashamed, as a person from a farming community, that I mixed up a ram (a male sheep) and a billy (a male goat). I've undertaken to chant the almanac fifty times as penance, so all is well :)

Scabior finished his shift at nine AM and cheerfully turned things over to Arco. He had, in a manner of speaking, a date, which is to say that he and Alise were going to have an early morning practice session in the room downstairs. He whistled as he walked, nodding to various wolves as he went. She was waiting for him, grinning saucily.

'Gud night, love?'

'I sat with Madam Morreau until midnight. She likes to embroider as well.'

'Sounds nice. She say sumthin bout what's goin on?'

'No. I tried, but she wouldn't give me anything.'

'You dun what you cud.'

'What about you?'

'Naw. E jus glared and made noises at me.'

'Noises?'

Alise raised her eyebrows, and Scabior, who was a truly awful actor, nevertheless assumed his best impression of Morreau.

'Hrrummph!'

'The entire time?'

'More r less. Thoughts e was avin a fit a sum kind at first.'

'What did you do, Lem?'

'Did it back.'

'You didn't!'

'Did so. Oughts t learn the bastard.'

She giggled and put her arms round him. He hugged him against her, feeling her soft, warm body and liking it. Alise was still laughing silently, shaking her head.

'If you've made an international incident, we'll have to go to Paris to testify.'

'You, mebbe. Not fer me. All that fancy food n all.'

'You'd like it.'

'I likes toffee, but I doan wants to live in a sweetshop.'

Her hand drifted to his side, the place his knife was holstered to his body.

'Why did you bring your knife, Lem?'

'Scare im, is all.'

'Oh. May I see it?'

He withdrew it carefully, reverently, and held it out to her handle first. She took it, little hands wrapping about the worn leather grip, looking at the blade.

'Did you? Scare him?'

'I shud thinks.'

'Show me.'

'Shows you?'

'How you scared him.'

Scabior's eyes widened, and he pushed her carefully down on the mat, poising the knife above her skin. Her eyes widened, and she arched, breathing hard.

'Then what?'

His other hand reached below her skirts and lifted them, severing the tie on her drawers. She sighed in response, gasping when he scraped the dull edge over her belly, over her thighs, up to her chin.

'And then?'

He put the knife down, and it was quiet except for their breathing, and after, he showed her the knife. She was good at it. Scabior was well-pleased.

He wasn't the only one. Sirius woke early and saw that Snape had gone. He did his quick check of everything, touched base with his cousins, and decided to go to Castle Borev to see how they were getting on there.

On arrival, he followed his nose outside, where the goats were grazing and Goose was wandering gormlessly about the courtyard, sometimes chuffing at no one and nothing. Sirius-Salazar greeted him, and the two wrestled a bit before they heard shoes scuffing on the stone floors, and looked up as Sose came out with buckets of water for the goats.

Sirius looked about and transformed, leaving Goose to whine a little. He approached slowly, not looking at her.

'Madam? May I take those for you?'

She stopped and swung the buckets down warily, one at a time. Sirius was wondering whether he should have stayed in dog form. Was he scaring her? But they were large buckets and she was small and her bones fragile. He moved very gradually toward her and carefully took the buckets, surprised at the weight.

'Where do these go?'

She gestured to the trough. The goats had gathered about them and were bahhing noisily, butting him with their heads, some of which had horns. A large and ill-tempered looking billy goat with a broken horn was particularly insistent, bleating lustily at Sirius and giving him hard thumps with his even harder head.

Sirius managed to get the first bucket in all right, but the billy, sensing a chance for mischief, waited until he was pouring the second, took a few steps, and ran directly into his arse, sending him flying, the content of the bucket flying up to douse him thoroughly.

Sirius sat, stunned, for perhaps three seconds, and then stood up. His arse hurt. His lower back was throbbing, and he was soaked in cold water. Adding insult to injury, several kids had gathered about him and were licking the water off with soft little tongues, led by Barty's Apples.

Sose looked ready to burst into tears, clearly scared that Sirius was angry with her. He knew better than to approach her, and so, when he started to laugh, he turned his head away and let loose, holding his belly and scratching Apples on the head with his free hand. The little goat nuzzled him, bleating softly, and then wandered off.

'Mr. Black?'

'Madam Tamm?'

'You aren't hurt?'

'Not a bit. Do you always water them yourself?' Where the hell were the elves?

'No. Sometimes. I wanted to check on them. That nanny is going to kid soon.' She gestured to a female whose sides were bulging.

'The elves've never cared for goats before.'

'Are they always this greedy?'

Sose nodded at the billy, who was slurping down water. 'He's bad. Anu thinks we should sell him.'

She was edging a little closer, very slowly. Goose came up beside her and watched Sirius, clearly torn between sensing Sose's discomfort and Sirius's lack of threat. Sirius watched the woman from the corner of his eye, making no sudden moves.

'Thank you. For helping Anu. He likes you.'

'I like him, too.'

'This Slughorn…'

She trailed off, looking away. Sirius wished he could reach out to her and assure her he meant her no harm, but that would make things worse and not better, so he stood still.

'He taught you when you were young?'

'Yes, he was our potioner.'

'Like Professor Snape?'

'Yes.'

She nodded jerkily. 'He didn't…I mean…?'

He could smell her discomfort, a little, and Goose quite a bit, because he whined worriedly, tail thumping, looking at them for reassurance that nothing was wrong.

'Not to me. My brother.'

'Brother?'

'Regulus.'

'I'm sorry.'

'I am too.'

She nodded again, eyes on the ground, and then stepped just a little closer. 'It must be hard for you. Going with him. My son. To see Slughorn.'

'It comforts me to know I can protect him. I couldn't save Reg. I wonder, sometimes, whether things would have been different if…'

Sose was watching him more fully, her head angled toward him. Goose had calmed a little, but he still moved restively, pointing himself toward the door into the castle.

'I know how that is. I, ah, a trader is coming today. For the goat. That one.'

She gestured to the belligerent billy, who was gulping water down like it was about to be outlawed.

'It might be good to be rid of him.'

'Yes. Would you, ah, mind coming? If you haven't got anything better to do.'

'I'd be glad to.'

She sighed with relief, and the two of them were silent together, and watched the goats for some time.

In another part of the castle, Draco registered that he was being shaken a second before Anu's voice cut through his sleep-fogged brain. 'Drago, you have to wake up. Hermione's got an idea and she needs all our help.'

Draco sat, careful not to accidentally hit Anu, and rubbed his eyes. 'What time is it?'

'Almost lunchtime. We just got word.'

'Everything's quiet otherwise?'

'So far. Sirius is here.'

Draco blinked as light flooded the bed. His valet tugged the curtains back fully and he stood, donning his trousers and tunic. He'd slept in just his singlet and smalls, feeling the heat keenly. After the cold of Britain, it was quite a revelation. Still, he felt a little bad for having slept so long when he could have been helping Aunt Sose or Anu.

Anu had gone to the sideboard and returned with a brimming goblet of pear juice (Anu's pouring tended to the grandiose due to his missing eye, but it was better than it had been, and Draco's personal resolution to clout the first person to mock the kid over it had paid off, in that he'd had to punch one person at school and it had never been mentioned again.) and a small plate of sweet cakes to munch on.

'Your sleep was good?'

'It was. Where is Sirius?'

'With Nene. She didn't want to be alone with the goat trader.'

'Barty?'

'With Aunt Lyudmilla's father. He's quite a nice fellow. Her father, I mean.'

'Seems to be.'

He took the juice and drained half the goblet. 'What's Morreau told them, messenger? Anything?'

Anu stood up, grinning. 'The Lord Protector sends his compliments, Senseschal, and asks you to come immediately. He says Milady is going to make that son of a bitch cry like a child. It's a quote.'

'I believe it.'

The two of them, in official tunics, set off. Wolves greeted them from all sides, looking edgy and stressed from the coming full moon and the added pressure of the Ministers and their retinues.

Sandru hurried over. 'Ten silver, Mr. Tamm, for that goat.'

'Good. Is Nene all right?'

'Salazar is with her.' Sandru had been told about Sirius, but it was wiser to keep things close to the vest. Both lads nodded-if Sirius was there, clearly Aunt Sose was safe.

'When he's got a second, we could use his help with Morreau.'

Sandru grinned. 'Good. Give him one for us, Mr. Tamm.'

'One what?'

'Anything. None of us liked him either.'

'We will, Sandru. Is the pen fixed?'

'It is. Lord Borev helped me.'

'Ivan?' It was so strange to hear Ivan referred to like that, but it was technically correct.

'Yes, sir.'

Draco nodded approvingly. 'Thank you for helping him.'

Sandru bowed and was off, and the two young people made for the Floo, for the Ministry and for politics.

Hermione's idea, as it turned out, was simplicity itself. She was bent over a large metal basin Draco identified as a Pensieve, mumbling to herself as Snape glowered at her shoulder.

'The last rune, Professor?'

'Algiz, my lady.'

'And…there! What do you think?'

Snape bent over the thing and swished his wand, drawing forth a filament of memory from his head. 'Should you like to try it first?'

She bent over it and then laughed. 'Professor!'

'My lady Krum?'

'That's dreadful!'

'He deserves it.'

She straightened, giggling, and Draco sucked in breath. She looked terrible, too pale, hectic patches of high colour staining each cheek.

'Draco, Anu, come see what we've done!'

They both came closer. The Pensieve itself was quite a nice piece of work, judged Draco, running a finger over the closest rune. 'Did you do this, Hermione?'

She shook her head. 'The Pensieve was lying disused in the office. It gave me the idea.'

'What is the idea?'

Hermione started to answer but instead waved Kreacher in. The elf was carrying a large pier glass, and a small stream of elves were likewise holding mirrors and reflective surfaces.

'We put Morreau in the middle of a curtained area, here-do you see?' She gestured to an area that had been marked in chalk on the floor. Heavy velvet curtains were suspended from the ceiling, forming a sort of booth.

'Yes, of course.'

'The elves are hanging the mirrors. We use the Pensieve to project the images on the mirrors.'

Draco nodded slowly. 'And then wait for him to break.'

'Yes, exactly.'

'Whose memories are we using?'

Hermione looked aside. 'Well, I was hoping everyone could donate some. If they didn't mind.'

'I'm game. Anu?'

'All right.'

'Where is he now? Morreau.'

'Healer Yokov has to check him over.'

'Check him over?'

Snape spoke up. 'We'll need to give him regular stimulants to assure that he doesn't fall asleep.'

'Or pass out.'

'Quite. Healer Yokov is going to check his heart and such, and give him some nutrient potions to be sure he won't sicken from lack of food.'

'We've been feeding him.'

'Yes, but lightly. Fruit, yoghurt, bread.'

'Ah.'

Draco got a bit closer to his cousin. 'Are you quite well, Hermione?' He touched her forehead, testing for a fever. She felt cool but clammy to his hand, and her lips were too light a shade.

'I've not been sleeping well, is all. After this I'll go and lie down.'

'Swear to it?'

'Draco, really.'

'Mother would have kneazles if she saw you like this and you know it. I mean it, Hermione, promise you'll sleep.'

'It isn't so bad.'

'Professor, tell Hermione I'm right.'

'Malfoy is wholly correct, my lady. You need sleep and a proper meal.'

'Both of you are being silly.'

'In fact, let us set this up. We can send for you when your memories are needed.'

'I couldn't possibly.'

'Right now, or I'm writing Mother tonight.'

'Draco, don't bother Aunt Cissy with this!'

'One… help me, Godfather…two…it'd be embarrassing for me to have to carry you…two and a quarter…Anu, please tell Kreacher to have Hermione's bed ready…two and a half, Hermione Bellatrix, this second…'

She set her jaw. 'Draco, please stop. I can't lie down right now.'

'Why not?'

'I just can't.'

He embraced her. 'I'll tell Aunt Trixie and she'll blister your ears if you don't.'

'Promise you'll call me?'

'On my life. Kreacher, take the Vicereine, please.'

Once she was gone, and Anu dispatched to find Viktor and alert him, Draco faced his godfather.

'Is she ill?'

'Just tired and pushing herself too hard. Keep scolding her.'

'I shall. And you? Are you well?'

'Quite. You're going to be recalled, you know, to Britain.'

Draco's innards felt like lead. 'Do I need to go?'

'No, of course not. Pavel is going in your stead, and you are going wolf hunting.'

'Quite right we are. It shouldn't take terribly long.'

'Famous last words, Malfoy.'

'Touché.'

The two sat in easy silence for a while. 'Godfather?'

'Malfoy?'

'The exiles are coming.'

'Yes, they are.'

'Are you nervous?'

Snape sat down facing Draco. 'For myself? No. Those people will think of me as they always do. But your cousin is struggling mightily.'

'How so?'

'She believes they killed her muggle parents.'

'Did they?'

'Someone did, Draco.'

Draco found he didn't want to parse that much. 'How can I help?'

'Be there for her, and for Krum. They will need your help and insight more than ever.'

Draco touched his forehead, hoping that things would get easier someday soon.

'Are you donating memories, Godfather?'

'A few. You?'

'Oh, yes.' Draco was looking forward to seeing Morreau break down. He cracked his knuckles, anticipating being able to move forward with their plans, and of course a touch of revenge.

'Viktor?'

'Hello, Anu. Drago, Professor. How is it going?' Viktor came in and sat down, looking windblown, like he'd been flying.

Snape explained the set-up and Viktor smiled. 'Impressive.' He cracked his neck and looked round. 'Hermione is so good at these things.'

The pride in his voice was clear, and Draco agreed at once, his concern for his cousin pressing against his pleasure in her cleverness in these matters.

Snape took the memories himself, after they'd chatted an hour or so. Draco suspected the break was so Hermione could sleep. She came when summoned, looking slightly less terrible but still far from sound.

After they'd been harvested, they called for the others. Sirius came, and, to everyone's surprise, Aunt Sose. Snape was careful not to touch her as he took the memories.

A few wolves volunteered when asked, and even some of the elves. By the time they were done, there were nearly nine hours of memories waiting in the Pensieve.

'Shall we test it out? I've inserted a comedic memory for that purpose.'

The group agreed, and Snape swished his wand. The room darkened, and then lit up. As they watched, a series of images of Sirius-Salazar flashed across the mirrors, reflected on every surface in the booth. He was chasing gnomes, and in every image the gnomes fought back, sometimes biting or pinching, sometimes throwing small rocks and once besetting him with sticks.

'Oh, but you never show my successes, Snape.'

'You've had none. My garden is still riddled with gnomes.'

'It's a process.'

'You're incompetent.'

At Hermione's nod the elves brought Morreau in. He was still bound to the chair.

'What is this?'

Snape held up a long syringe. 'Hold him still, elves.'

The stimulants started working at once. Snape moved to shoo them all out. Draco hung back slightly.

'Not bad for bronze-aged thugs, Minister, don't you think?'

As the door closed, Morreau started shouting to be let out. Draco wondered whether there was anything to eat in the kitchens.