A/N I know, these last two are short, that's how it goes sometimes. Anyway, for anyone wondering, yes, I am planning (barring calamity) to put up a chapter every day next week, including Thanksgiving. Actually, the timing of that chapter is pretty good in some respects. See you next week. ~DQ

Chapter Twenty-Five

Making Allowances

It was nice to get together after having to skip their family time the week before. Jennifer listened intently as Severus explained the situation with Elliot as they sat at Kingler's for a quick bite.

"How was Culver after the fight in the hall? Is he getting along with the other Ravenclaws?" Jennifer asked concernedly.

"He seems to be. I haven't heard any complaints, and I'm sure Dasher would have brought it up if there were any," Leu replied. "He's usually pretty quiet from what I've seen. I have heard him make a snide comment now and then out of the blue, but nothing out of the ordinary. He reminds me of Keir or Colby at that age."

"Being very quiet could be a sign that he's a Truth Seeker, Severus. I don't suppose he signed up for Auror class, Leu?" Jennifer asked.

"No, he signed up for Sparring and Football and figured that was enough considering his class schedule," Leu said.

"It sounds as if he has some sense, at least," Severus said.

"He seems to like studying, actually," Leu said with a shrug.

"That isn't all that surprising, is it? Twins rule or not, I'm sure the Hat put him in Ravenclaw for a reason," Jennifer said. "But Severus, I wonder if there could be any way that Aurelius might be able to interact with him it'd be better to know for sure sooner rather than later. Perhaps Aurelius could help with sparring one week, and use the excuse that he's trying to recruit for the Auror Club or something."

"That's a very good idea. I'll speak to him about it," Severus agreed. "How are things going with your new trainee at Whitebridge...?"

"Truman," Jennifer reminded him.

"Yes, how did I forget that? It's a good name for a Truth Seeker," Severus replied, Jennifer looked amused by that, but then her smile faded somewhat.

"It's an uphill battle at times, Severus. After all, he's been on his own with the talent up until this year, so I'm afraid his confidence is pretty much gone. But I've been developing new techniques to help him cope... in fact, some of the new games I'm coming up with will probably help you too, Quintin," Jennifer told him. Quintin, who had been sitting right next to her and leaning into her side as he nibbled on his fries, looked up at her intently.

"I like new games," Quintin replied.

"The current one is a game that teaches him the difference between thoughts that are reactionary as opposed to different types," Jennifer explained. "You can get a lot of hints to a person's nature from those reactionary thoughts, really, but even the best of people have very negative first thoughts sometimes, and I think that learning to recognize that will be a good first step for him. If I don't accomplish anything else this year, I'd like to get Truman far enough along in his training that he's not terrified of looking people in the eye anymore. Right now he'll only look at me and Wind Elk... oh, and his new mirror, of course."

"So he has a mirror as well?" Leu asked.

"Actually, it was a mirror I had bought for Quintin for when he was old enough, but Truman needed it more," Jennifer admitted, then hugged Quintin. "I'll find you another when you're ready, Quintin, but he needed one straight away."

"Okay! I want one like Rus has!" Quintin said.

"Yes, alright," Jennifer replied.

"So he has one too? Do all Truth Seekers have some sort of mirror on them?" Leu asked.

"Every one I've ever met... even some of them not formally trained carry them. At least, I know that Albus has one as well," Jennifer replied. "It's a tool to help us sort our thoughts. In many ways, it's easier to do than what you might consider the the normal way, although it's really hard to explain to a non-Truth Seeker."

"They can also be a bit too attached to them," Severus said knowingly. "You're not setting Truman up to be as addicted to that thing as you used to be, are you?"

"I know it can be a crutch, Severus, but right now a crutch is what Truman needs," Jennifer assured him. "He'll more than likely wean himself off of it as he gains more confidence as I did."

"Hopefully it won't take him as long," Severus replied, and Jennifer made a scrunched up face at him in response.

"Hey, Jackie!" Sally Kingler came up to the table, getting their attention. "Were you serious about working Thanksgiving week?"

"Yes, every day but Thanksgiving itself," Jennifer agreed.

"We close down then anyway, except for hosting the neighborhood party. I really wish you could go, Jennifer," Sally Kingler said, "You and the family, of course. Lucky and Dale already promised they'd come."

"I think we can manage it," Severus said before Jennifer could respond. Jennifer gazed at him searchingly.

"Oh, but I thought Jennifer said she was going with Lunette to Detroit. I wouldn't want you to miss out on that," Sally protested.

"If Severus says we can manage it, we can manage it," Jennifer replied with a smile.

"Great!" Sally said cheerfully, heading back to the office.

"Thank you, Severus," Jennifer added when she was gone.

"It isn't lost on me that there may be a point in the near future when Sally may want to retire, so we should take advantage of the opportunity to spend time with our friends here," Severus replied.

"True. Already it isn't the same, what with all the changes we had to make to update the place and with Emma and Rob long gone," Jennifer replied. "Although I admit, I see more and more of Lucky creeping in as they've modernized the place."

"Yes, and you know she won't ever let the place go completely," Severus said.

"True," Jennifer said, gazing at the counter where Jenny was busy taking care of the customers at the bar. "I'm glad we chose here to meet up for our family outings, Severus. I know it was the most logical place, but to me it's more than that. The fact that I'm spending more time here while I'm at Whitebridge reminds me of the importance of my research. It helps me to stay on it, despite all of the surprises that Whitebridge is throwing at me. Not to mention the conspiracies."

"Oh?" Severus inquired.

"My friends suckered me into helping them chaperone the Middle School dance," Jennifer said, making another face.

"Someone has to man the punch bowl, don't they?" Severus ventured.

"Behave, Severus. I should never have told you about that," Jennifer replied.

"Middle School?" Leu inquired.

"It's sort of like first, second, and third year at Hogwarts," Jennifer explained. "In some schools here, sixth grade is still an elementary school grade, but Whitebridge starts magic at the same age that we do at Hogwarts, roughly speaking. Actually it's complicated, because instead of first year primary, they have kindergarten, so it's a bit confusing when you try to compare the systems year to year," Jennifer said. "Anyway, they break up the upper and lower students into two different dances, one on Friday and one on Saturday. I guess I'm just lucky that I only got conned into doing one. Some teachers end up having to do both."

"While I can appreciate the reasoning behind splitting up the age groups into two different events, the idea of having to coordinate two dances on consecutive nights sounds dreadful," Severus said. "I believe John would quit if I even hinted that we were going to attempt such a thing." Jennifer grinned at that.

"I rather agree with you, best just to get it over with. Especially in Whitebridge's case. It'll be all Wizard Pop and Wizard Rock at that dance," she replied.

"I'll be sure to pack you some earmuffs in your Chest Cloak just in case," Severus replied.

After a long day at the Bronx Zoo, Leu was grateful to collapse in his bed that night, falling straight to sleep. He awoke to an empty room and pulled himself out of bed with a yawn, realizing that Dasher and Noah had probably gone to watch Quidditch tryouts. Deciding that Dasher probably had it well in hand, Leu wandered down to the Owl Room, more than a little surprised to find Diana there, working on her homework.

"Shouldn't you be at Quidditch Tryouts?" Leu asked curiously.

"Hufflepuff had no replacements this year," Diana explained.

"Wow, and your team was strong last year. I can't imagine how strong they'll be this year," Leu said.

"We did replace three in football," she added for good measure.

"I suppose that's something," Leu said. "We only replaced two Chasers ourselves," he added, sitting down. "What are you working on?"

"I'm not studying with you," Diana said bluntly.

"I didn't ask," Leu pointed out. "Although I was going to ask if you want to go to Hogsmeade if I beat you at sparring again."

"No," Diana said, looking up at him seriously. "If you beat me at sparring, I will agree to study with you. But if you want to go to Hogsmeade together, I want you to beat me at something else."

"Not Quidditch I hope," Leu said.

"No, you would never beat me at that," Diana said unabashedly. "I want you to race me across the lake. If you win, I will go to Hogsmeade with you."

"Race you across the lake? I'm not sure that's even allowed!" Leu said incredulously.

"You've gone swimming in that lake many times before and no one has said anything," Diana said.

"I think my father's been choosing to look the other way because I've tried to stay discreet about it," Leu admitted. "But if we have a race, word is bound to leak out about it, and he won't be able to look the other way and we'll end up getting in trouble."

"Then I suggest you ask him for permission," Diana suggested. "Perhaps you can make it one of your goals this year. 'Attempt to swim fast enough to beat Diana in a race.' You haven't filled your personal goals yet, have you?"

"Well, no..."

"Then why don't you add it?" Diana said with an expression so serious that he couldn't help but wonder at its intensity.

"I'll add it if you explain why I should," Leu said. Suddenly Diana's expression changed, and she hurriedly began stacking her books.

"It's up to you. It's your goals," Diana said suddenly. "I think I'll go study in the houserooms," she added, and then left.

Leu propped his head in his hand, watching her go. Her hair was growing out; she had it in a short braid now, he noted, but she was still wearing the comb just above it. If she did like him as Charles seemed to think she did, why did she act so strange about it? Leu pulled out his Owl goals and stared at them a moment, shrugged, and then added it. After all, he still had room to add something else if he needed to.

The next day he waited for his father's class to get out, knowing that he would be quickly on his way to the bus and met his stride going down the hall.

"Yes, Llewellyn?" Severus asked.
"I was wondering if I could have permission to use the lake... for swimming," Leu explained. Severus gave him a quizzical glance.

"Since when has it mattered? You've never asked permission before. Perhaps you should have asked that question in your first year," Severus said drolly. "Or even after that incident with Diana and Winnie Brim."

"Actually, that's sort of related, in a way," Leu explained.

"Oh?" Severus prompted as they stepped down the main staircase. As usual, the stairs seemed aligned exactly the way that the headmaster was going, where a few students found themselves watching curiously from one of the other landings. Leu waited until they were down and out of the stairwell, not wanting his voice to carry to others waiting for the stairs.

"Well, it's not for myself, actually. Diana is the one that wanted to swim in the lake so that she can have swimming competitions, pointing out that I already was getting away with it, but I wasn't comfortable with it going any farther than my own... well... breach of protocol... when other people were involved."

"I see," Severus said with an expression that seemed neither surprised nor concerned. "You need to find a professor willing to supervise, preferably Sagittari or another professor that's well versed in how to call back the Kraken and what other dangers are in the lake. Once you have accomplished that, have them come speak to me about it before proceeding."

"Alright. Thanks," Leu said,. Severus simply nodded, continuing to the main doors and going outside, while Leu stopped where he was in looked thoughtful. That was actually easier than he thought it'd be in a way, Leu mused. At the very least, he didn't seem to question wanting to use the lake at all. He simply addressed the safety concerns. Still, isn't that what a headmaster should be questioning?