Chapter 16

Severus Snape knocked softly on the heavy oak door of Hagrid's hut.

It was jerked open by Remus, and a look of relief swept across the werewolf's features.

"Oh, it's you. I was afraid it was Tonks again."

"The metamorphmagus auror?" Snape uncorked the wine he'd brought and filled two glasses.

"Cabernet?" Remus was distracted. "That calls for chocolate!" He produced a large bar of Honeyduke's finest.

One of his rare smiles swept across Snape's face. "As far as you're concerned, everything calls for chocolate."

Remus grinned, broke off a chunk, and sipped the wine as an accompaniment.

"Tonks keeps coming around, although I've told her I'm not interested. But…I wonder if she is trying to use me to get to Harry!"

Snape was surprised. "Why? She's considerably older than he is, and besides, now he is married to the Greengrass girl. Formerly a Greengrass, since I fear she's been disowned."

"I don't know why. But it's troubling." Remus drained his glass. "I failed Harry, Sev."

He was startled by the use of his nickname. Only Lily had ever called him Sev.

Remus continued, "I should have been there; instead I abandoned him."

Snape grimaced. "I can't think he had an easy time with Petunia."

"No. I failed Harry, and I failed Sirius. Along with James and Lily. I let everybody down."

"I let Lily down." Snape refilled both wine glasses. "She was my only friend."

Remus said softly, "I always thought you two would end up married."

Snape laughed bitterly. "So did I."

"What happened?"

"I lost my temper once and called her a mudblood. Even though I apologized, she never forgave me!"

"That…doesn't sound like Lily." Remus frowned. "She had a bit of temper, but she was a very kind person; it wasn't like her to hold a grudge."

"Well, she did. Next thing I knew, she was marrying James Potter."

"That surprised everyone," Remus admitted. "I mean, we all were convinced she hated him. Then…a sudden turnabout."

"It was sudden, wasn't it?" Snape asked slowly.

Remus' eyes widened. "Yes. I didn't dwell on it at the time, but…what are you thinking?"

Snape drew a deep breath. "I'm wondering whether I should have swallowed my hurt pride, and investigated? Lily went from hating the very sight of James Potter to falling madly in love with him. It does happen, I suppose. But, does it usually happen overnight?"

"Maybe not. Nothing to be done now, though."

"There is one thing," Snape told the werewolf. "I can stop holding a grudge against Harry, because of his father. I may have failed Lily, but I promise I will not fail her son!"

The werewolf nodded. "That's one promise I will also keep."


Astoria looked for Draco in the common room; once again he was missing.

"No, he hasn't been around much lately." Millie Bulstrode sank into the chair beside her.

"He looks sick."

Millie nodded, unconcerned.

Astoria felt a flash of resentment. No one, but no one, understood Draco the way she did! Her blond prince…elegant, dashing. He'd have a lot more respect if it wasn't for Potter!

"Your sister, on the other hand, looks blooming," whispered Millie. "I'd say marriage agrees with her."

"She's not my sister!" snapped Astoria. "Not anymore." She'd meant to sound firm, but it came out a whimper.

Millie said nothing, and it prompted Astoria to say, "I'm sorry I told grandfather that Daphne wasn't on the platform when the train pulled into the station. I should have stayed with her…I knew how upset she was. Instead I…"

"Went off to hang around Draco," Millie supplied. 'Probably for the best, since it enabled Daphne to get away."

Astoria's jaw dropped. "You think…what she did was a good thing, don't you? You do know that Potter will probably get killed!"

Millie smirked at her. "Are you really that stupid?"


Astoria crawled into bed and pulled the curtains closed.

She was remembering her return home, accompanied by Aunt Dahlia and Pansy, and how she couldn't wait to run to grandfather and tell him Daphne was missing.

"Shall we call the aurors?" Aunt Daphne was subdued.

Grandfather's expression never changed. "No. Daphne made her choice. There is no need for any further action on our part."

Aunt Dahlia's face was suddenly wreathed in smiles. "Of course, father. We need not bother with such a disrespectful girl ever again!"

He nodded. "Why don't you take Astoria to Parkinson Hall for Yule? I have a great many matters to see to, and she will be better off staying with you."

"Yes, indeed. I was just about to suggest that very thing."


"I'm never listening to you again!" Ginny Weasley confronted Hermione in the hall leading to Gryffindor tower.

"All the books said…"

Ginny threw up her hands. "Books! That's all you know! I'd have been better off approaching Harry on my own, like Daphne did. Instead I played your games, which didn't turn out well for either of us!"

Ginny flounced off, leaving a despondent Hermione to climb through the portrait hole.

Ron was playing exploding snap with Lavender, Parvati, Harry, Daphne, and Neville. She'd once thought perhaps she and Ron…he would be easy to control, and he was a pureblood, which would help her in her climb to a position of influence in the Ministry.

If Harry married Ginny, he'd be her brother-in-law, and would also be able to support her.

But that plan was finished.

Her eyes wandered to Neville. They had always been on good terms, and the Longbottoms were an old House with political power. But Neville seemed to have attached himself to Hannah while Hermione was not paying attention; the constant stream of letters passing between them indicated that ship had sailed.

"Hiya, Herm." Cormac McClaggen swaggered over.

Hermione studied him carefully. She didn't much like his cocky blowhard ways. Still, a pureblood with connections in the Ministry…she could do worse.

She gave him a dazzling smile. "Cormac, I was wondering where you'd gone off to! How would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?"

Hermione smirked when the boy agreed. No more games, no plots that came from books. She'd nail down a prospective catch, while she had the chance.


"What have you discovered?" Remus demanded, before Snape had so much as unfastened his cloak.

"It was as I thought: a love potion, of a similar type but with just enough variation to cause Potter's reaction. But it came from the same potions book, it wasn't your general amortentia."

Snape seated himself and poured a glass of firewhiskey. "I'm reasonably certain it originated in the House of Black!"

"Unfortunate." Remus took the glass Snape proffered. "All of the Order would have access, along with many of the kids. Any of them could have brewed it!"

"Not who could, who would?"

Remus nodded. "Right, who would want to potion Harry?"

"Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Nymphadora Tonks?" suggested Snape. "But that recipe could have been taken by anyone who was ever in the Black house, as I said."

Remus nodded glumly.

"Was…James Potter ever in the Black library?" Snape stared into his drink.

"Yes. He was. Sirius' parents thought James was an acceptable friend, despite being a Gryffindor, since he was a pureblood from one of the old magical families."

Remus drained his drink. "You're thinking that…James potioned Lily. Aren't you?"

"Him or Black."

"No," Remus shook his head. "That Sirius would not do!"

"Not even as a prank?"

Remus paled. "I wish I could say they wouldn't. But…" He was remembering James, the spoiled darling of elderly parents, who'd never been denied anything that he wanted.

"But you aren't sure," said Snape with finality.

"No. I'm not sure."