It was lucky for them that Christoph had to go to the Ministry for the week to take care of "some things" as he called it. Harry was certain it had to do with illegal movement of creatures and the disappearance of a dragon they had read in the paper a few days prior. Surely it was Voldemort or some of his Deatheaters trying to collect creatures and place them under his command. He would never admit that though, especially in front of Jana.

As soon as he knew Christoph would be gone for a solid length of time, he wrote to Steerforth to invite him to come and meet Jana, and Lupin to begin their plan to blindside him. During Christmas Tonks shared more about her trip to London that summer that she brushed off upon arrival at The Burrow. She had been trying to recruit Steerforth and he brushed her aside as politely as possible but never explained why. Tonks and Steerforth has been classmates as it turned out and knew each other quite well. Unfortunately however, she couldn't understand why it was he refused. Steerforth was eager to meet but demanded that it be somewhere very safe. He did not like the idea of Jana leaving Hogwarts, and Harry made a mental note to neither bring up the Hogsmead trip nor the Inn during their visit. Harry suggested Grimmauld Place as they all agreed it was perfect.

Jana held Harry's hand tightly as the place revealed itself. Domhail was protected by Secret Keepers and an onslaught of protective magic. However Jana had not witnessed this kind of hidden home and was amazed as the muggle building split apart to reveal itself. Jana took comfort in knowing that it was Sirius's home, muttering "black dog house" to herself on the journey. Despite the darkness and the newness, Harry did not mention Jana's cane. He did not want to be like Christoph. He never wanted to be like Christoph.

Harry let in as much light as possible to the bedrooms upstairs, and Jana quickly began to clean the room with various charms and gentle waves of her hands. Within an hour the room looked dated but hygienic, and Jana went on to clean the room Lupin was to stay in across the hall. Lupin insisted she did not have to but Jana ignored him.

"I didn't think it could look so clean in here!" It was Tonks, and Lupin embraced her immediately as she came through the doorway. Jana decided not to make the bed, and left quickly. Tonks did not even get a chance to greet her.

"Tonks is really great, if you'd just get to know her," Harry half scolded when he realized why Jana was now seated in an armchair in the bedroom they planned on sharing.

"That metamorphmagus?" Jana replied coldly.

"Jana!" Harry truly scolded now pulling her up from the chair, "Go talk to her. Go, come now." Jana shook her head sternly and resisted the best she could.

"No, Harry!" Jana whined and then she and Tonks made eye contact.

"This is the best it's ever looked Jana, thank you," Tonks smiled, venturing a step into the room. She surprisingly approached Jana, who instinctively backed away from her as if she were poisonous. Tonks out stretched her hand and without saying a word conjured a blue flame. Jana's expression softened. "I won't change my appearance at all while I'm here, promise. I know how it bothers you."

"It doesn't," Jana replied softly. Tonks looked surprised. "It bothers my moth-it bothers Angharad. I don't want to be like her."

"You're nothing like her," Tonks encouraged, closing her palm to extinguish the flame, "you're so much better." Jana made a practiced smile. Tonks offered them something to eat but Jana turned her down. Harry praised Jana for being nice and assured her that he was certain Tonks and Lupin's relationship had no bearing on theirs. Jana still seemed unconvinced. Jana then expressed guilt at tricking Steerforth like this. She knew he would likely be angry that they bombarded him, but agreed that Steerforth owed them an explanation for his persistent refusals to join The Order. Then there was the sound of voices. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had arrived and Jana quickly arranged their room as well. Harry helped and was surprised to see Kingsley Shacklebolt with them.

"I thought you weren't coming…" Harry said.

"I wanted to make sure they arrived safely," Shaklebolt replied, gesturing to Mrs. Weasley as she and Jana caught up excitedly, "I won't linger. You're plenty safe here." Mrs. Weasley ushered Jana over to them as they stood near the staircase. Jana was reluctant to follow, seeing Shacklebolt towering over them. He was a stranger, a frightening stranger.

"He's a very talented and powerful auror, just like August," Mrs. Weasley tried to ease Jana's fears.

"August?" Harry asked.

"Steerforth...," Lupin explained, "it's a pseudonym."

Shacklebolt leaned down to make his and Jana's eyes level, "I too am a Secret Keeper to Domhail and have taken a vow. It is an honor to meet you. Remus has told me so much about you." Immediately Jana relaxed, and shook his hand. Then suddenly she gasped and squeezed a little tighter, placing her forehead on the back of his hand. Shacklebolt flinched and then stared at her wide eyed.

"It's alright," Lupin reassured the group watching Jana cautiously.

"She had one at school as well," Harry added, "I guess that makes this one thirteen."

"Rose, thistle, leek, shamrock…" Jana's effeminate voice hissed through the air, commanding everyone's attention at once, "...they will follow your command at the highest office...you shall deliver reformation at the behest of the chosen one...if he should fall by the release of the seventh soul…" Jana then collapsed to the floor with a loud thud. Mrs. Weasley rushed to her side and found her unresponsive but breathing. Using the levicorpus charm they put Jana to bed and gathered downstairs for dinner. Lupin assured them that Jana simply needed her rest. Tonks was exceedingly quiet and withdrawn.

"You didn't believe me did you?" Lupin asked, as he passed Tonks a platter of vegetables.

"I had my doubts, I'm sorry," Tonks admitted as her hair changed from her usual pink to mousy brown.

"Are any recorded?" Mr. Weasley asked. Mrs. Weasley reprimanded him with an elbow to the side. Lupin simply shook his head. Shaklebolt looked deep in thought about what he had just heard, and faced away from the table as if reading Jana's words on the wall. And then, the sound of hinges startled them all, and a pale, strawberry blonde man with gray eyes just like the ones Harry had seen in the Daily Prophet in September came into view.

"Is this some sort of trick?" Steerforth asked gripping his wand tightly, "where's Jana?"

"She's asleep, she had another vision, this is not how we planned to greet you, please, come sit," Lupin tried. Steerforth looked around at them dubiously.

"Another?" Steerforth huffed.

"She's just had her thirteenth one-" Harry tried to explain but Steerforth was already reacting. Shacklebolt closed the front door with a flick of his wrist and ushered Steerforth into a chair next to him.

"Thirteen? This is outrageous! I don't like this Remus, not one bit. How can you allow this to go on Kingsley?" Steerforth preached, wand in hand, flapping around as he gestured angrily.

"Put away your wand," Shacklebolt commanded. Steerforth obliged.

"She's safe, Dumbledore has taken every measure."

"And you think Voldemort hasn't?" Steerforth refuted. As if this was not awkward enough the air in the room grew heavy and sad, "She left Domhail once! And look what happened to her!" Harry glanced at Lupin with concern, and he was visibly timorous. Little did Steerforth know how often Jana has left Domhail over the years. Enough to develop a relationship with Oliver Wood, enough to attend the Quidditch World Cup...

"Jana can't wait to see you," Harry tried to change the subject.

"And I can't wait to see her," Steerforth replied, finally accepting Mrs. Weasley offer of roast, "has she really had thirteen?" Lupin nodded to confirm.

"Jana is making a lot of friends," Mrs. Weasley tried to reinforce, "and she's the top of her class in potions. We're very proud. She's been accepted to the Alchemy class." Steerforth expresses his pride but lack of surprise at Jana's successes in this area.

"So why have you all come?" Steerforth sighed.

"We can discuss that tomorrow," Shacklebolt said. They finished dinner in silence and just before bed Steerforth took a silent peek on Jana who was still fast asleep.

The next morning Jana woke up quickly at the sound of floor boards creeping below.

"Steerforth?" Jana exclaimed excitedly quickly getting up and nearly tripping as she ran for the staircase. Harry was happy for her. She seemed desperate to see him. He blew out the candle on the desk and closed the door behind him, slowly descending the staircase to greet them. He hoped that Steerforth wouldn't be too upset by their plan to blindside him. Of course, they wanted to create a safe place for Jana to see her beloved older brother, but the truth of the matter was this whole thing was a set up for The Order to corner Steerforth so he couldn't say no this time. When Harry arrived in the dining room Steerforth was holding Jana tightly and crying into her jumper. Jana was gently stroking his strawberry blonde hair and consoling him, ensuring that she was just fine. Eventually Steerforth picked his face up, which was red and covered in tears. He inspected Jana thoroughly. She giggled as he seemingly checked her for holes or tears, like some sort of dress robe or cloak.

"Hi Harry!" Steerforth waved, shaking his hand firmly, "thank you...thank you for this." Steerforth seemed in a better mood since he had gotten some sleep and hopefully thought everything over more rationally. They sat down at the table, where Mrs. Weasley had placed some snacks. Of course she and Mr. Weasley were tucked away upstairs, along with Tonks and Lupin to give them privacy.

Steerforth wouldn't let go of Jana's hand, kissing it every so often and she told him about Quidditch, and Transfiguration, and Gryffindor House. Jana was so intrigued by Steerforth as he seemed to share with her for the first time about his years at Hogwarts. He has been in Slytherin, and played as a Beater his first 4 years. Steerforth talked the most about how much he loved Defense Against the Dark Arts and how it guided him towards his current profession. Jana grew quiet and eyed Harry when Steerforth asked for her impression of the class.

"Jana doesn't take that class," Harry raised his eyebrows quickly in disappointment. Steerforth was simply appalled that she was restricted in her classes but was not surprised by the ban on Divination.

"Could you imagine the look on mum's face if you read some tea leaves?" Steerforth teased, sending Jana into a fit of giggles, Steerforth playfully mocked Angharad McKeely "and what function does this have? Certainly you should spend your time perfecting your bluebell flames". Steerforth then made it clear that he did not support restricting Jana's classes and wanted to teach Jana everything she needed to know all at once.

"I'm thankful to them for everything," Steerforth added, "they raised me like their own. They're just…eccentric."

"Christoph says they're nutters," Harry replied.

Steerforth gave him some side eye and then looked thoughtful for a moment, "Was he knackered?" Jana withered and Harry confirmed. Steerforth began a slew of frantic and angry questioning. He had quite a temper. It seemed that he should have been informed this happened and was even further enraged that Dumbledore knew and had not reached out. The most important thing to him however was that he was kept away from Jana.

"Of course, I could tell he's a violent drunk," Harry said, explaining the relocation to Hagrid's hut.

"No, no, no, no…" Steerforth shook his head, "quite the opposite. He gets too friendly with her." Harry was quite horrified at what this could mean. Jana was tracing a knot in the wooden table ignoring them, clearly not wanting to elaborate. Steerforth quickly changed the subject to Patronuses. Jana was intrigued and wanted to learn right away, until she realized she had to use her wand.

Harry immediately stood up and conjured a small one. The stag leaped happily around the room and then disappeared. Jana's jaw dropped.

"I like this magic," Jana whispered.

"Could you see it alright?" Harry ensured, willing to conjure another.

"Quite clearly."

Steerforth then produced his patronus, a lovely fish that swam around the room, making two loop the loops before vanishing. Jana looked directly at the patronuses, unlike the sideways look she gave most things, as if she was trying to see around and beneath them. Steerforth reminded Jana that she would need her wand. Jana cautiously made her way across the room, feeling each chair and the corner of the wall before coming to the staircase: Grimmauld Place was a dark home and unfamiliar.

"We'll grab your cane too," Steerforth added as he attempted to help Jana up the stairs. She pushed him away.

"I don't need it," Jana asserted, missing the balustrade twice before getting a good grip on it. She ascended the stairs slowly.

"She hasn't been using her cane?" Steerforth implored. Harry explained how well she had been doing, and that he had never even seen the thing. Harry wondered briefly what it looked like. Jana returned with her wand and her godfather.

"Remus! Good morning," Steerforth greeted with a genuine smile this time, "did you know Christoph-"

Lupin sighed, "Drunk. I know...I heard something about patronuses so I thought I'd join." Steerforth tried to carry on but Lupin redirected him well.

"Jana is going to try and she's going to be brilliant," Steerforth encouraged, almost forgetting about it. He got behind Jana and tried to show her how to hold her wand and explained that she would have to say the spell aloud. Jana blushed, the thought of doing so somehow embarrassing for her. Expecto Patronum… Steerforth whispered. Jana whispered it back. Lupin said it at an average volume. Jana smiled and said it a little louder. Harry pointed his wand into the air, and thought of Jana being sorted into Gryffindor and cheered, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Again the silver stag appeared and raced around the room and ceiling before dissipating into smoke. Steerforth backed away from Jana and encouraged her to try.

"Expectopatronum," she muttered and nothing happened.

"Jana, you have to think of the happiest you've ever been!" Harry coaxed. Jana closed her eyes for a moment. She pointed her wand at the ceiling.

"Expecto Patronum," she mumbled. A bright silver strand leaked from the tip of the wand.

"You have to say it with all you've got," Harry cheered, getting around her and holding her hand to steady her wand.

Jana took a deep breath and confidently she stated, "Expecto Patronum."

From the tip of Jana's wand came a cone like blaze of white that swirled until it took the shape of a wolf. Steerforth's eyes were aglow as he stared at Jana's first true patronus. The wolf sneaked around the edge of the room, ands stopped to lick its paw before taking off at a full charge and nearly evaporating as it reached the window.

"Well done!" Harry cheered, but when he turned to share his pride with Lupin and, they were instead staring at each other in silence. Lupin's eyes turned red as he held back his emotions. Jana loved and accepted him exactly as he was. Despite the lycanthropy, despite the attack, despite what it did to her body...at times Harry was convinced it had damaged her mind, and her ability to control and use magic. Steerforth's pupils were wide as he looked at Lupin as if he were some kind of demon.

"You?" Steerforth finally asked, stunned, "you're a…"

"August, please-" Lupin tried.

"Don't call me that!" Steerforth yelled, brandishing his wand and pointing it at Lupin.

"Stop!" Jana squealed, trying to back Steerforth down, "don't kill him! Please!"

"It was Remus? He attacked you?" Steeeforth was astonished, his forehead wrinkling as he raised his eyebrows in disbelief, Jana pulled at his robes and nearly hung off of him as she desperately tried to describe the situation and what had happened. Lupin never broke his eye contact with Steerforth as he put his wand on the table and his hands up in the air.

"He was bitten as a child, it's not his fault!" Harry defended. Steerforth clearly didn't know what to do with this startling piece of information and his hand trembled as he pointed his wand at Lupin.

"Leave him alone!" Jana screeched, nearly tackling Steerforth into the cabinet. He caught Jana with his free arm and dropped his wand hand to his side.

"I can't...I can't believe it…" Steerforth sighed staring at Lupin as if he were some sort of stranger. Jana tore Steerforth's wand from him and clutched it in her palm along with her own.

"No more wands!" She scolded, heading for the staircase once more to put them away. She crashed into the doorframe as she tried, and the wands were sent tinkling to the floor and rolled down the hall.

"Does anyone else know this?" Steerforth implored, Jana tried in vain to retrieve the wands but couldn't differentiate them from any other wood on the floor. The carefully crafted cylinders blended in too cleanly. Steerforth helped Jana retrieve the wands.

"Christoph knows," Lupin explained, tucking away his own wand before Jana tried to confiscate it, "And Tonks…"

"What?" Jana gasped turning and giving Lupin a look so cold she could have frozen him with her gaze.

"Of course, Jana, come now."

"You broke your promise-" Jana began pointing her finger at him sternly.

"It's alright Jana, I'll never say a word, I promise," Tonks appeared in the threshold. Jana looked as if she wanted to hex Tonks but she tightened her fists instead and pursed her lips.

"All this time...and it was you?" Steerforth stayed in disbelief, "why didn't you tell me Janey? Why did you lie to me?"

"You told me you wanted to kill whoever did it!" Jana exclaimed, "and if mum or dad knew-"

"I would have never told them! And if I had known it was Remus…I...of course I wouldn't..." Steerforth replied in a very sibling way. It was strange to watch the dynamic between Jana and Steerforth. It felt more like how a relationship between a brother and sister should be and less like the parent and child situation that Christoph had created. Harry began to like Steeeforth a little more and tried to forget him calling Hermione a mudblood.

Then the front door opened and through it appeared Professor Dumbledore.

"Albus?" Steerforth exclaimed.

"Headmaster to what do we owe this unexpected pleasure," Lupin began but-

"Did you read the paper this morning?" Dumbledore asked harshly making his way through the hallway with speed and failing to greet any of them at all.

"I didn't-" Dumbledore thrust a folded Daily Prophet into his hand. Steerforth read it quickly and his countenance changed.

"What do you want to do?" Dumbledore asked. Steerforth did not answer. He just stared into the fire.

"How do you even know that we're here?" Harry grumbled, but Dumbledore ignored him.

"He's like a magnet to me...I have to leave…" Steerforth decided, melancholy consuming his face.

"I think you're plenty safe here," Dumbledore replied, "but that's just my opinion."

"I don't care if I'm safe…I care if she's safe. You know how I feel about this. She should be at Domhail or stay here. She can't go back to Hogwarts, and I certainly can't come take Christoph's place as planned."

Jana looked surprised and leaned in closer to him, "Taking Christoph's place? What are you talking about?"

"Was that the plan? Are you really sending Christoph back to the ministry?" Harry asked trying to hide his enthusiasm at the idea.

"The Ministry needs him…" Steerforth explained to Jana gently.

"And Hogwarts needs you…" Dumbledore encouraged Steerforth.

Harry decided to cut in finally, "The Order has been begging you for nearly a year to join our ranks. Why? Why won't you help us?" Harry asked frustrated. Steerforth got up abruptly and made his way towards the door but Dumbledore locked it with a wave of his hand.

"August," Dumbledore warned, "they have the right to know why."

"Don't call me that!" Steerforth huffed, "I am grateful to you for everything, but please..."

Harry looked at the Daily Prophet. Emblazoned on the front were the words MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN and photos of the witches and wizards involved; Antonin Dolohov, Bellatrix Leastrange, Augustus Rookwood…Augustus Rookwood.

"I thought your parents are dead," Harry began approaching Steerforth with the paper.

"My mother is dead...and my father...well he's dead to me…" Steerforth admitted, sitting back down next to Jana, "he does everything he can to get a hold of me…"

"Is that why they spared your life?" Harry asked suddenly.

"What?" Steerforth huffed.

"When you were attacked and we visited you at St. Mungo's-"

"You were at St. Mungo's?" Jana shrieked.

"Yes I didn't want to worry you," Steerforth consoled.

"You said yourself that you thought Voldemort was there...you were incapacitated by a curse...he didn't kill you because of who your father is…" Harry realized aloud. He checked Lupin over his shoulder, who displayed an expression that told him he had known all along.

Steerforth looked ashamed, "it was my last warning...stop fighting them and instead join them...of course I refused…"

"I'm assuming he wants to rekindle your relationship?" Harry replied sarcastically but feeling somewhat sorry for him.

"Is that what you call putting me under the Imperius Curse to do Voldemort's bidding?"

"He won't do that-" Lupin tried to console.

"Again…you mean he won't do that again! Can you be so sure?" Steerforth growled.

"Again?" Harry asked gently.

"How can I face her, Albus?"

"Minerva does not blame you...you were a child…"

"Professor McGonagall?" Harry jumped.

"Her brother...Robert...my father used me as a lure and caught him defenseless and...and…" Steerforth couldn't bare to finish.

Harry promised himself he would never call Steerforth any other name.

"You said Christoph is the son of deatheaters as well…" Harry began.

Steerforth nodded, "It becomes easy to figure out when you start to call everyone by their given name."

Dumbledore began to explain as to not cause any further concern or confusion, "Calandra Yaxley...Corban is her uncle ...Nuallan Jugson...Iagan Snyde...Sophie and Claudia are Dorcas Meadowes's girls...Demeter is Amelia Bones daughter…and Lachlan and Rachelle are Benjy Fenwick's children."

It wasn't long before everyone joined them in the drawing room and they had breakfast. The Order did their best to convince Steerforth to join them, and Steerfoth did his best to convince them he was a liability.

"Why Steerforth?" Harry finally asked that evening as they prepared to return to Hogwarts.

"It's from one of those muggle books you so strongly defend," Steerforth chucked, winking at him, "a muggle name instead of my father's. Can you think of anything that would bother him more?"

"None of that talk here, Steerforth," Dumbledore warned, opening the front door to let them out, reinforcing the magic enchantments in the place as he went. Harry assumed that Dumbledore was aware of Steerforth's prejudice.

"I'm sorry, but I can't put you all at risk," Steerforth apologized to the group as he stood in the doorway, turning to Jana at last and saying apologetically, "and I can't come to Hogwarts. You'll have to bear Christoph for just a few more months."