Rane tried to leave Shell Cottage the following morning, collecting her sparse belongings and getting as far as the beach before the thudding footsteps reached her ears.

"Rane!"

She turned, her long hair rippling about her face as she stood among the sea lavender. Harry was pounding after her, still in his bedclothes, his wand clutched in one fist. He skidded to a halt before her, spraying sand, out of breath.

"Where are you going?" he gasped at her.

Rane stood where she was, looking at him in silence.

"Rane, we need you here," Harry said. "You can't go yet. Stay a bit. Just a bit."

"Harry -"

"Please."

Harry was looking at her imploringly. Rane sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"What for?"

"Just . . ." Harry looked awkward. "Look . . . I just . . . I don't want you to go yet."

Rane met his eyes, her lips pursed. Harry tripped forward abruptly and hugged her tightly. Rane could feel the quick triphammer of his heartbeat against her chest, and squeezed him to her.

"I'll stay," she said, pulling back from him and examining his face. "For a couple days. That make you feel better?"

"A little," said Harry, but he was smiling now.

"You gonna tell me what it is you guys are planning?"

Harry looked pensive. "Yes," he said tentatively. "If Ron and Hermione agree."

Rane shifted her weight. "Harry, I know this is your business, but if you let me in a little bit, I swear I can help you guys."

"I know."

"Then what is it?"

Harry shook his head. "We're just trying to be careful, Rane."

Rane took his shoulders and shook him gently. "Then let me give you what I have. Please." She paused, then, her voice thickening, "let me do something useful."

Harry looked into her eyes, his green meeting her hazel. He nodded.

"Fine. Just . . . Please stay."

Rane grabbed his head with both hands and planted a loud kiss on his forehead. "I wish I could say no to you, you little shit," she said, grinning. "Come on, let's go get some food. I'm starving."

Things were strange at the cottage in the following days. Griphook remained in his room for the most part, hiding in the dimly lit quarters he'd been afforded and requesting his meals be brought to his chambers (Fleur acquiesced, but not without a large amount of muttered French curses). Dean and Luna threw themselves into chores about the house, collecting firewood, tending the garden and assisting Fleur in the kitchen where she would allow it. Hermione, Ron and Harry remained in their own rooms for much of the time. Rane had been granted her wish; she visited them in their quarters frequently, where Hermione was often to be seen hovering over a cauldron of Polyjuice Potion, her thick hair fluffy and flyaway.

"Are you guys ever gonna tell me what you're planning to do with it?" Rane asked for the umpeenth time as she sat cross-legged on Hermione's bed, watching she and Ron crouched over the cauldron.

The two of them glanced up at her. Harry, who was sitting with his back against the door, fingering the wand he'd wrested from Draco Malfoy, looked at her pensively. The three of them exchanged glances.

"Harry -" Hermione began.

"We're planning to break into Gringotts," said Harry loudly.

Rane's eyebrows rose.

"Can I ask why?" she ventured.

"There's something we need in one of the vaults," said Ron tentatively.

"Okay," said Rane, "but have any of you ever been in Gringotts? The security is just . . . Bananas. It's the TSA of Diagon Alley."

"We've all been," said Hermione, sounding chastising, "we've just got to get past the security. I think we'll be alright, if we follow the plan."

Rane fell silent, watching them, chewing her thumbnail.

"Griphook," she said at length.

All three of them looked around at her. She lowered her hand.

"I guess he's helping you," she said unnecessarily.

Hermione, Ron and Harry glanced at one another. Ron turned back to her, nodding.

"Yeah," he said. "I mean, he's not being nice about it -"

"Yeah, because goblins aren't nice about damn near anything," Rane cut in. "Bill could probably tell you."

Harry sighed loudly, rubbing his face.

"Rane, we really don't have much of a choice right now," he said. "He's the only one that knows Gringotts, he's the only one that can get us inside -"

"That's fine," Rane cut in. "Just . . . Be careful of him. And don't double-cross him."

Hermione cast a decidedly cool glance towards Ron, who looked at his hands, his face reddening. Rane jerked her chin towards the cauldron.

"Who are you going to use?" Rane asked, switching gears. "Any idea?"

Hermione shrugged. "Some," she said noncommittally. "It's a bit dodgy, either way."

Rane nodded, chewing her lip.

"Wish I could help you guys," she said wistfully.

"What about Wade?" Ron said.

"We're both fugitives," Rane said, and sighed, massaging the bridge of her nose. "If either of us showed up at Gringotts we'd be arrested straightaway, no question. And after Malfoy Manor . . . I dunno." She shrugged. "May be a death sentence at this point."

There was a loud knock at the door downstairs. Rane, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all froze, meeting eyes, then got to their feet quickly and hurried out the door of the room, jostling one another.

When the four of them had managed to run downstairs, they found Fleur, a hand towel thrown over one forearm, looking at the front door corridor fearfully. Bill had drawn his wand and was edging towards it, his body rigid.

"Who's there?"

"It is I, Remus John Lupin!" called a voice over the howling wind. "I am a werewolf, married to Nymphadora Tonks, and you, the Secret-Keeper of Shell Cottage, told me the address and bade me come in an emergency!"

Bill pocketed his wand at once and hurried forward, wrenching the door open. Remus tripped forward into the doorway, his face white. Rane pushed through Hermione and Ron and ran towards him, grasping his face in her hands and staring at him with panicky desperation.

"Remus?" she said softly.

He met her eyes, looking into her eyes. He was soaked with rainwater, his riding cloak's hood laying over his head limply, his eyes avid.

"Rane?" he said, looking utterly bewildered.

Rane laughed, then grasping his face placed a loud kiss on his cheek.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him, unable to conceal her smile.

Remus laughed, looking wild-eyed, then took her hands in his own.

"It's a boy," he said softly, beaming. Then, raising his voice and looking over her shouder, "it's a boy! We've named him Ted, after Dora's father!"

Hermione shrieked behind them.

"Wha - Tonks - she had the baby -?"

"Yes!" Remus cried, laughing. His face was transported, and he looked younger than Rane had ever seen him. "Yes, she did!"

All around them came cries of "congratulations" and "it's a boy!" as everyone absorbed this joyous news. Rane took Remus by the shoulders, beaming at him, then embraced him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder

"Are you okay?" Remus asked, pulling away from her and examining her. "The last time we -"

"Oh forget about me!" Rane said loudly, laughing. "You're a dad!"

Remus placed a loud kiss on her cheek, then striding around her went to Harry and embraced him with equal fervor. The night at Grimmauld Place might never have happened.

"You'll be Godfather, of course," he said, pulling away and grasping Harry by the shoulders.

"M-me?" Harry stammered.

"Yes, Dora quite agrees, no one better -"

Rane crossed her arms, grinning. Harry was opening and closing his mouth, looking shell-shocked.

"I - yeah, blimey -"

Fleur had hurried off and fetched a bottle of wine; several goblets were hovering before her now. Rane took a seat at the table, beaming over at Harry, who had caught her eye and was grinning self-consciously, his face red.

"I cannot stay long, I must really get back," Remus was saying, though he was taking a seat beside Rane nonetheless. He bowed graciously as Bill pushed a goblet over at him. "Thank you, Bill, thank you -"

"Toast," Rane said loudly, lifting her own goblet. The rest of the table's occupants lifted their own. "Agorel vae. You did well, Remus. Here's to Teddy Lupin."

"Salut!" Fleur cried, and they all lifted their goblets and drank deeply.

"'Oo does 'e look like?" Fleur asked Remus, sipping at her goblet.

"I think he looks like Dora, but she thinks he is like me. Not much hair. It looked black when he was born, but I swear it's turned ginger in the hour since. Probably be blond by the time I get back. Andromeda says Tonks's hair started changing color the day that she was born." He drained his goblet. "Oh, go on then, just one more," he added, beaming, as Bill made to fill it again.

"You're glowing," Rane remarked, her chin resting on one fist, beaming at him.

"I don't remember being this happy," Remus replied, returning her grin. "I imagine you must've felt the same way when you and Sirius -"

He stopped, seeming to catch himself. Rane's smile faltered, but she regained herself quickly.

"How's Tonks?" she asked.

"Excellent," said Remus hastily, nodding. "I can't remember ever seeing her happier. And Teddy . . . Rane, you really must come see him soon, you won't believe it, he's so perfect . . . Idril will adore him . . ."

"Oh, I bet she will," Rane replied, grinning. She did, too; Idril had a soft spot for babies, always had. Iliwynn maintained that Idril spent most of her time in the nursery, cooing to the Elf infants and singing songs for them.

THEY spent a good evening together, drinking and recounting their various goings-on. At the end of it, Remus, considerably less sober, pulled his cloak on and bade his goodbyes with a big, goofy grin.

"I really must get back," he repeated, nodding and beaming.

Rane stepped forward, quite drunk herself, and threw both her arms around Remus's neck, then placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Give that to Tonks for me," she said, pulling back and looking into his eyes, both hands on his cheeks. "I miss her. I miss both you guys. Can't wait to meet Teddy."

"I will," Remus said, nodding. Rane noted, alarmed, that tears were standing in his eyes, and she tripped forward and kissed his cheek again.

"We'll see each other again soon," she said quietly, without any idea if this was true. "Soon. Very soon. You guys stay safe. Okay?"

Remus nodded, his mouth downturned, then hugged her again. He pulled away, giving her a last glance, then turned and strode into the stormy night. In a flash he'd Disapparated.

THE morning that Ron, Hermione and Harry were prepared to infiltrate Gringotts, Rane awoke and met them on the front stpes of the house as they made their way to the beach.

"Is it time?" she asked, wrapping a scarf about her shoulders.

Hermione nodded, pursing her lips.

"Will you let me know you're okay?" Rane asked them gently. The cool morning air was rough, throwing her hair about her face. "The way I showed you?"

Ron nodded. Hermione suddenly tripped forward and hugged Rane. Rane hugged her back tightly, feeling tears stinging her eyes.

"Oh, girl, you better be so safe," she said softly, squeezing Hermione. "Don't you dare get hurt."

Hermione pulled back, looking up at Rane with tears standing in her eyes. Rane took her face in both hands, her own eyes now overbright, and placed a kiss on Hermione's forehead.

"You take care of yourself, and you get in touch," she said softly. Hermione nodded, her lips pursed, tears now flowing from her eyes. Rane hugged her again tightly.

"We'll be alright," Ron said, and Rane turned and hugged him as well. She kissed his temple loudly.

"You better be," she said. "You just better be."

Then Rane turned to Harry, who was standing nearby, his face unkempt, tears streaming from his eyes. She wrapped him into her arms and hugged him to her as hard as she could, her hand caressing the back of his head through his messy hair.

"I love you, kid," she said gently.

"Love you too, Rane," Harry said softly at her shoulder.

They stood that way for a moment, holding one another, then Rane released him. He stepped back, staring at her for a moment, then moved towards Hermione and Ron, who stood close at hand. Hermione held a flask of Polyjuice Potion in one hand.

"You guys be careful," Rane said.

All three nodded. With that, Rane turned and strode back towards Shell Cottage, tears streaming from her eyes.